


A Different Type of Hunter

by BlackBeautyQueen33



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Deaf Sam, Dean shoots John, Gen, John beating Sam, John is an ASS, Minor Character Death, Protective Dean Winchester, other tags as they apply
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-27
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-11 07:32:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 29,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7882312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackBeautyQueen33/pseuds/BlackBeautyQueen33
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Sammy wants to do, at 11, is prove to his father that he can do the job despite being deaf.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I know its been a while since I've been on here and I'm sorry but I wasn't in a good place and then I got hit with a massive writer's block but I'm back. So get ready!!
> 
> Also this story had been in need of a massive editing so I am uploading revised chapters. I'll try to add one or two chapters every week (or sooner)

More than anything Sam hated to be left behind.  Ever since he was old enough to understand what it was that his father and big brother did, he was left behind. In motel rooms, in the car, it didn’t matter, where he was left, it was just that he was always left behind while his father and brother got to go on hunts and kill the monsters.  It wasn’t fair and Sam hated it. At first, it wasn’t that he wanted to go and kill the monsters himself; he just didn’t like being left behind. It took him awhile but he finally understood it was because he was deaf and his father felt like he couldn’t hunt because he couldn’t hear. After he learned that, he wanted to be out there with them to prove to his father that, yes he was deaf, but he could still be just as good a hunter as them. Right now, he was sitting in the front seat of the impala waiting for his father and Dean to come back from hunting two werewolves.

Suddenly Sam sat up. He spotted a third werewolf headed toward Dean. He swallowed unsure of what to do. Sam had never used his voice in front of his father and he was afraid to. He was also afraid of attracting the werewolf to him. After constantly debating with himself, Sam shook his head; this was his chance to prove to his father he could do the job. He opened the glove compartment remembering that Dean had once mentioned keeping an extra gun loaded with silver bullets there. Grabbing the gun, he scrambled out of the car.

“Hey!”

The werewolf turned toward Sam just as Dean started rustling around in the bushes causing the werewolf to turn back toward its original target. Sam was terrified; he had to do something before the werewolf attacked Dean. So, he did the only thing he could think of, he shut his eyes and fired. He kept shooting till there were no more bullets in the gun. He opened his eyes and gasped.  Dean was on the ground bleeding and the werewolf that Sam had thought he shot was being chased by his father and eventually ran away. Sam watched as their father loaded Dean into the backseat of the car before looking up at his angry face.

“What the hell do you think you were doing?” John yelled at his youngest. “You could’ve gotten Dean killed! That was the stupidest, most careless thing you have ever done. _THIS_ is why we tell you to wait in the car.”

Sam frowned as he struggled to read his father’s lips since he was talking too fast, and understand what he was talking about. All he really managed to understand was “stupid”, “you” and “Dean”.  John snatched the gun out of his hands and all but shoved him into the car as he drove them back to the motel.

**~~(SPN)~~**

Dean groaned as he opened his eyes. He could tell right away that he lost a lot of blood. He blinked furiously trying to remember what happened when he remembered Sam and how scared he looked and shot to a sitting position.

“Careful there Ace,” John soothed. “You’re going to be okay as soon as I finish patching you up. Lie back down.”

“Where’s Sam?”

John didn’t answer and Dean frowned, “Dad? Where’s Sammy?”

John shrugged, “Probably sulking in the shower.”

Dean frowned and sat up again, “What did you say to him?”

When John ignored his son and focused on stitching up Dean, he got mad, “Dad! What did you say to him?!”

John looked up at him, “Will you be still so I can finish stitching you up?”

Dean narrowed his eyes at his father’s aversion tactic, “You yelled at him.”

“Damn right I did. It was his fault you were attacked. I mean what on earth was he thinking? He was told to wait in the car. He just doesn’t listen!”

Dean shook his head, “Dad, it wasn’t his fault. He was trying to help.”

John frowned, “Help?! How exactly is firing randomly in the air helping?” John mumbled, “Kid can’t do a damn thing right.”

Dean sighed. What could he say? This wasn’t the first time their father grumbled, complaining about Sam. He shook his head, looking up when he spotted Sam coming out of the shower. He could tell from the red eyes that Sam had been crying. And frankly, he didn’t blame the kid. He’d reassure him later.

Sam looked at Dean and could tell that they were talking about him. He had a feeling that their father was telling Dean how it was Sam’s fault that Dean almost died and how useless he was. Sighing softly, he changed into his pajamas and climbed into the bed that he shared with his brother.

Once John finished stitching him up, Dean headed to the shower and fifteen minutes later, climbed into the bed alongside Sam. He touched Sam’s shoulder, which was a sign for “hey”. When Sam only sighed, Dean tapped his cheek. It was the sign for “look at me.” Sam looked up.

 ** _Hey, it wasn’t your fault I got hurt,_** Dean signed.

Sam nodded and signed back, **_Yes it was. If_ only I had stayed in the car-**

**_I’d be dead._ **

Sam sighed again and averted his gaze for the moment.. Dean hated seeing that dejected look on his brother’s face. More than anything, Dean hated that it was their father who put that look on his face. He stroked his brother’s hair.

**_I love you Sammy. Don’t worry about it okay? Just know that you actually saved my life._ **

Sam looked up at him with wide eyes. _Really?_ He was asking. Dean nodded. Sam smiled as he laid his head on his pillow snuggled in his big brother’s warmth.

John sat at the desk in the room pouring over his journal and other things he was using to track the Yellow Eyed Demon. He lifted, eyeing his sons in the bed and frowned. Sam was too codependent on his older brother and the need to help Sam with everything was weighing on Dean making him careless on hunts. John shook his head. This had to stop now. As much as he didn’t like splitting his sons up, it was something that needed to be done. Dean was no good to him as long as Sam was around and Sam was no good to him period. Tomorrow, he’d make some calls but right now, he had work to do.

  **TBC...**

 


	2. Chapter 2

Sam was the first to wake up per the norm. He was such a light sleeper that when he wasn’t plagued by nightmares, he could wake up at the sound of a pin dropping. He dressed and sat at the table browsing the net. When his father woke up he gave him a smile in lieu of a ‘good morning’. John just grumbled causing Sam to droop. His father was still angry. Sam sighed and turned back to the computer. He was so engrossed with what he was doing that he nearly jumped a foot in the air when he felt a hand on his shoulder.  He looked at Dean and narrowed his eyes.

**_Are you seriously trying to give me a heart attack?_ **

Dean shook his head, “No of course not, little brother. Where’s dad?”

Sam frowned and swept his head from side to side looking around the motel room before shrugging, **_I guess he left. I didn’t even see him leave. I mean not that he’d tell me or anything._**

Dean frowned, “Sammy…”

“What?” Sam asked softly. “Dad has a right to be mad. I almost got you killed.”

Dean sighed, “Sam…no matter what dad said, it isn’t true alright? Look at me; I’m fine and gorgeous as ever.”

“Cocky as ever is more like it,” Sam grumbled teasingly.

Dean laughed, nodding his head, “Okay, but seriously, what happened last night wasn’t your fault.”

Sam opened his mouth to say something else but just then John returned with breakfast and as always, he clamped up. Dean didn’t say anything just smiled at his father and took his breakfast burrito.

“So what’s the plan?” he asked, speaking slowly enough to allow Sam to read his lips.

“We’re going to stay an extra night to finish up this hunt since _someone_ screwed it up.”

Dean shook his head, “Come on Dad, that’s not fair. He’s just a kid. He was trying to help and frankly, if Sam hadn’t done what he did, I’d be dead. We didn’t suspect a third werewolf.”

John started to speak but was interrupted by his cell. He answered it and after a few minutes walked outside the room. Dean and Sam both looked at each other. After a few minutes, John walked back into the room, “Werewolf is gonna have to wait. Caleb needs our help.”

Dean nodded and signed all that to Sam before the two started packing up. Fifteen minutes later, the three were on the road. Sam was in the backseat, John was driving and Dean was in the passenger seat looking out the window.

“So what’s the case?”

“Caleb wasn’t sure. He thinks it might be vampires but he’s not sure.”

Dean frowned, “He’s not sure? Since when is Caleb unsure about something? I mean what else did he say?”

“Nothing.”

“I’m sure. You were outside a pretty long time Dad. What aren’t you telling me?”

John glanced at his son quickly before focusing back on the road, “Nothing Ace. Don’t worry about it.”

Dean glared for a few minutes before staring out the window. He knew his father was hiding something. He was so used to his evasive tactics that he could tell almost instantly. What bothered him was that his father felt the need to hide something from him.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Dean, who hadn’t realized he fell asleep, woke up when his father pulled into a motel. He groaned and sat up, “Where are we?” he asked, looking in the backseat at Sam.

“Wichita.”

Dean frowned, “Kansas? Is that what you were keeping from me? That we were coming into Kansas?”

John just nodded, “Wake your brother. Caleb is waiting for us.”

Dean arched an eyebrow but didn’t respond. He opened the backdoor and gently shook his brother. Sam just moaned and shivered. Dean groaned, “Come on Sam,” he said shaking him harder.

Sam moaned again and opened his eyes. Dean grinned, “Come on sleepy head, dad and Caleb are waiting for us.”

Sam yawned as he followed his brother into the motel room. Caleb gave them a big grin as they entered.

“Sam and Dean, long time no see. Look at you boys. Getting to be grown just like your old man.”

Dean chuckled, “So tell us what you have,” he said sitting down.

Caleb looked at John, “All business this one. Learns from you.”

Caleb then launched into the whole story. Dean signed everything he could to Sam so he wouldn’t feel left out. After a few minutes, Sam signed something to Dean.

“Sam wants to know if he could look at your laptop.”

Caleb nodded and Sam sat at the table perusing over the laptop with a frown on his face. He browsed through a couple of accounts that seemed to show the same thing that Caleb described before he tapped his fingers on the table.

Caleb frowned, cocking his head as he stared at Sam wondering why he was tapping the table. Before he could ask Dean answered.

“To get my attention,” Dean said walking over to his brother. “Find something Sammy?”

“Don’t tell me the kid already found what we’re looking for,” Caleb gasped.

John scoffed, “I highly doubt it. He’s not that good. I mean we just got here and he already knows what we’re looking for after a few sentences?”

Dean glared at his father before turning back to his brother, “What did you find Sammy?”

Sam pointed to the screen, **_Apparently this has happened before. The thing I don’t get is what it’s after._**

**_What do you mean?_ **

**_Well according to this, there have been several witness accounts from people who have ‘seen the monster’ and they say that they attacked their families, but it didn’t kill them._ **

**_That is weird. Anything else?_ **

Caleb and John both watched at the two boys talked wildly with their hands. He saw Dean smile and clap his brother on the shoulder. It was Dean’s sign to say “Good job”. Dean walked over and reiterated everything that Sam had told him.

John nodded, “Okay, so I think our next step is to talk to some of these families. Dean, you go with Caleb and I’ll take the other family. Sam will stay here.”

Caleb frowned, “John, I think…”

John glared at Caleb causing the man to close his mouth. Dean explained to Sam what was going on and after several minutes of trying to get his brother to stop pouting, he was out the door with Caleb and his father. It was then that he realized his father never once said thanks to Sam for the research he did. He gritted his teeth to hold back his anger.

“Dean, I know what you’re thinking,” Caleb said as they drove.

“Is it that freaking hard to say thanks? I don’t think he realizes how much just that one word means to Sam especially coming from him.”

“Dean, you gotta cut your father a little slack. He’s doing the best he can. It’s not easy.”

Dean turned and looked at Caleb, “Are you fucking kidding me? Dad doesn’t give two shits when it comes to Sam and you know why? Because the kid’s deaf, like it’s his fault. I mean if he was doing the best he could, he’d have taken that ASL class with us to learn how to talk to Sam, or better yet, he wouldn’t treat Sam like a freak who can’t do anything right. So don’t even Caleb.”

Caleb sighed, but said nothing else for the remainder of the drive.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam flopped on the bed, clearly pissed off. So what he was only eleven, so what he was deaf, he could help and his father knew it. Sam sighed. For as long as he could remember his father looked at him with such hatred and seemed to feel that he was nothing but a useless piece of luggage. He never understood why, it wasn’t like he asked to be deaf. And besides, even though he was deaf, he could still hunt. From what Dean told him, John was waiting until he turned fifteen to officially have him start hunting, but Sam wondered if that was true. Would John let him help on hunts when he turned fifteen? He wasn’t sure if he wanted to wait four years to find out.

 Sam continued to sulk on the bed for a few more minutes before getting up to continue trying to research what they were looking for. Sam frowned as he continued doing what little research he could. None of the witness accounts ever described the monster. He knew that usually they would describe it as something completely other than what it was of course, but none of the so called survivors had any description of the monster. It was weird


	3. Chapter 3

“Ma’am can you describe what the monster looked like?” Dean asked the mother.

“I didn’t get a good look at it, but the way it was hovering over Peter, like it was trying to kiss him or something. When I screamed that’s when it turned and headed straight at me. It was tall like inhumanly tall and it had green cat-like eyes. Y’know, like it had the same design of a cat’s eyes except without the irises.”

Dean nodded, writing everything down that she was saying, “Did this monster say anything?”

The woman frowned, “Say anything? It was a monster, how could it speak?”

Dean resisted the urge to roll his eyes, “Okay, go ahead. What happened next?”

“Well,” she blushed, “I…don’t know. I kinda fainted.”

 _Was she serious?_ “So you didn’t exactly get attacked?”

“No, sir. When I woke up the monster was gone and so was Peter.”

Dean froze, “Excuse me?”

“Peter was gone. I think the monster took him with it. My husband said that he didn’t see Peter leave. I think I might have been out longer than him because when I asked him what happened, he told me that the monster came at him and he fainted. He also said that when he woke up, both the monster and Peter were gone.”

Dean cleared his throat when he spotted Caleb and stood, “Thank you ma’am. If you remember anything else please don’t hesitate to give me a call,” he gave his trademark FBI smile handing her a card with his number on it.

Once Caleb and Dean had pulled away from the house, Dean shook his head, “I don’t think this thing whatever it is actually attacked the parents.”

Caleb nodded, “I agree. According to the husband, this monster came at him and he was so scared that he fainted.”

“That’s the same thing the wife said. She also said that when she woke up both this monster and her son were gone. So I’m thinking it might actually be after the children and not the families as we originally thought.”

Caleb nodded.

They got back to the motel at the same time as John and when they went inside Dean spotted Sam asleep on the bed. He moved to his brother’s side to make sure he was alright and to wake him up.

“Let him sleep,” John spoke. “What did you and Caleb find?”

Dean frowned but shook his head and he and Caleb explained what they found out. John nodded as he explained that he learned the same things.

“We still don’t know what it is that we’re looking for,” Caleb sighed. “All we know is that whatever this thing is it prefers children.”

John didn’t answer; instead, he left the room. Dean and Caleb frowned, “Why do I have a feeling your father knows something that he’s not sharing?”

Dean shrugged, “I don’t know,” he said, moving to wake his brother up.

It took several minutes for Dean to get Sam to wake up but when he did he immediately panicked before spotting Dean.

**_When did you guys get back?_ **

“Just now. You okay?”

Sam nodded. He opened his mouth to say something but he spotted Caleb and immediately shut his mouth.

“What is it Sammy?”

**_I was trying to figure out what it is we’re after and I found something interesting. None of the victims could give a description of the monster._ **

Dean nodded, **_Yeah. Caleb and I figured that out after talking to this couple. Also it seems that it’s not after the families as a whole. It’s after the children._**

When John returned he stood with Caleb watching his sons, as they seemed to be having a conversation with their hands. Caleb glanced at John but didn’t say anything.

**_Dean, this sounds like a shtriga._ **

Dean frowned, **_A shtriga? They just suck out the life out of...children. Sam, have any of them been known to kidnap kids?_**

Sam shrugged. He climbed out of the bed and, bypassing both John and Caleb, went straight to the computer. John and Caleb frowned and looked at Dean for explanation.

“Sammy thinks the creature we’re hunting is a shtriga.”

“A Shtriga? First of all how does he know what a shtriga is?” John asked.

Dean sighed and refused to comment. He looked up when Sam tapped on the desk. Caleb, John and Dean walked over and peered over his shoulder. Sam pointed to the word document where he had written the explanation. Dean read it out loud.

“So a Shtriga is a type of Albanian witch, but I had been looking at different legends and they date all the way back to ancient Rome. According to lore, they feed on Spiritus Vitae, which is Latin for Breath of Life. They can feed off anyone but they prefer children. And also according to the lore, they are vulnerable to all weapons created by God and Man.”

Caleb’s eyes widened, “Where’d did you find all this?”

Dean signed Caleb’s question to Sam. Sam grinned and minimized the word document to show all the tabs that he had read through. Caleb blinked.

“Damn, the kid is good.”

Dean nodded, “He loves his research,” he chuckled, ruffling his brother’s hair.

“The kids are missing. Shtriga’s don’t take the children. They suck out their life.”

Caleb frowned, “John think about it, maybe it takes the kids because she knows that she can’t feed from them when she wants.”

John was about to speak but got distracted by Sam tugging on Dean’s sleeve.

“Hey, what’s wrong Sammy?”

Sam pointed to a tab he had open. Dean frowned as he read, “Guys, we have a problem.”

“What now?” John grumped.

“According to this, shtriga’s take on a human form during the day. At night is when she turns into her natural form which is when she feeds.”

Caleb sighed, “Great. How are we gonna ever find the thing?”

“We’ll have to draw it out,” John spoke up after a while.

“How? The thing likes children,” Caleb mused.

Dean had been eyeing his father. Suddenly, he shook his head, “No.”

John frowned, “Dean…”

“No Dad! You’re not about to use Sammy as bait.”

Caleb looked at John with wide eyes, “John?”

“He’s always wanted to help, right? Now’s his chance.”

“Yeah, but as bait? You’re insane! There’s no way I will allow you to use him as bait for a monster.”

“We’ll be right there.”

Dean blinked, “You have been planning this from the beginning, haven’t you? The minute you spoke to Caleb on the phone. You knew what it was we were dealing with and you had been planning this. What if something happens, huh?”

“Nothing is going to happen is it John? We’ll be right on him.”

John nodded, “Of course.”

Somehow, Dean didn’t believe him. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. There was no way he wanted Sam to be used as bait. He looked up as his father’s cell rang and he stepped outside to answer it.

Caleb, Sam, and Dean looked at each other before John. A few minutes later, John returned.

“So are we doing this?”

  **TBC...**

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are 24 chapters of this story. So while the story says complete know that it isn't complete. I marked it as complete so you know its not a work in progress. I'm finished writing. just uploading. With that being said. I hope you are ready because its going to get rough.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So a while ago, I tried to upload the next chapters on here but it was down for maintenance so you'll be getting quite a few chapters tonight. Enjoy.
> 
> Also, I know there may be some discrepancies within the story with Sam's deafness and what not and I apologize. I'll be honest, I don't care. I don't have the time to go back through the story and fix everything. So you can continue to read as is or not. It's up to you.

**Chapter 4**

A few days later, they managed to figure out who the shtriga was and where its common hunting grounds were. Dean still wasn’t comfortable with using Sam as bait for this creature, but he knew that he didn’t have a choice. He sighed, sitting on the bed next to his brother and explained what was going on.

**_Its okay Dean. I’ll be fine. You’ll keep me safe right?_ **

**_Of course Sammy. I’ll be right there._ **

**_Then don’t worry._ **

Dean tried not to worry but he couldn’t help it. Sam wouldn’t be able to hear the impending attack to be able to get out of the way until it would be too late. This had trouble written all over it but, as usual, his father wouldn’t hear a word of it. He wished he knew what it was about Sam that their father hated so much. He knew it couldn’t be just the fact that he was deaf.

“Dean.”

Dean shook his head and looked up at his father, “Yes sir?”

“Get Sam and let’s go.”

“Yes sir,” Dean said. He grabbed his gun making sure it was loaded with the consecrated iron bullets that his father gave him before grabbing his brother’s arm. “Ready?”

Sam nodded; **_I can do this, Dean. I won’t let you down. I promise._**

Dean nodded. He wasn’t worried about Sam letting him down. He was worried about letting Sam down. He sighed as they followed their father to car. Sam climbed in the passenger seat of the impala since John was going to be riding with Caleb.

“Dean?”

Dean nodded to show Sam that he was listening.

Sam swallowed, “She won’t kill me, right?”

Dean shook his head, “No. We won’t let her.”

**~~~ADTH~~~**

Dean was hidden in the bushes with his father and Caleb keeping a close eye on Sam. Just as he started to think that this wasn’t going to work, something was closing in. John started firing as Caleb was telling him to wait. Faster than humanly possible, the shtriga took Sam and ran away.

“Dammit!” Dean cursed. “You were supposed to wait! It’s not vulnerable unless it’s feeding! What the hell were you thinking?!”

“Dean, calm down.”

“Calm down?! My brother is gone because you acted like an idiot.”

Caleb frowned, “Dean, come here and look at this.”

Dean frowned and walked over to where Caleb was standing. The place Sam had been sitting not two seconds ago. He knelt down and chuckled. On the ground were his peanut M&M’s.

“He must have had a feeling that he was going to be taken and he’s leading us to the hideout,” Caleb grinned.

Without out another word, Dean cocked his gun and followed the trail his brother left. Caleb and John blinked before quickly following him. By the time they caught up to him he was leaning against a cave. Dean motioned inside.

“I think he’s storing them, like for food,” he whispered. “You know like a Wendigo does.”

Caleb nodded, understanding that Dean was telling them that they were all still alive. The problem is, in order for them to kill the creature it had to be feeding on one of the kids. They also needed to be close enough to shoot it. John watched as Dean silently slipped into the cave. He went to follow but Caleb stopped him.

“We’ll trip off the shtriga if we all go in. Dean’s got this.”

A few seconds later, they heard three distinct gun shots and when they looked in the shtriga was dead and Dean was attempting to get all of the kids free. Caleb and John went in to help them. When John went to get Sam Dean grabbed his wrist and gave him a look that told him to back off. John looked taken aback, but he let Dean take care of his brother while he and Caleb took care of the rest of the children.

Sam opened his eyes and smiled, “Dean.”

“Hey kiddo.”

“Knew you’d save me.”

Dean grinned as he cut him free, “Well I couldn’t have done it without you leaving me a trail. Oh and you take my M&M’s again, I’ll kill you,” he said as well as signed.

Sam laughed as they walked out of the cave. By the time they made it back to the motel John and Caleb were back from taking the children into town. Dean left Sam to pack up and rounded on his father. He grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

“Dean.”

“Pull another stunt like that again and I swear I’m done. I don’t know what your issue is and right now I don’t care, but you don’t EVER use Sam like that again. When I learned about all this crap, I told you I would do anything you asked as long as Sam was not going to be in danger.”

“He wasn’t in any danger. We were right there.”

Dean blinked, “So you don’t think him being kidnapped by the shtriga dangerous? Whatever. Put him in harm’s way again and I swear to god we’re gone.”

Dean let go of his father’s collar and went to help Sam finish packing up. Sam tapped his arm.

**_Dean?_ **

Dean shook his head, “Don’t worry about it little brother.”

Sam frowned but shrugged as he grabbed his bag and followed his brother to the impala. Caleb was standing by his truck and smiled at the boys. He clapped a hand on Sam’s shoulder.

“Good work Sam,” he said, speaking slowly. “You’ll make a fine hunter.”

Sam grinned his wide, dimpled grin. Dean chuckled, ruffling his hair. Sam grumbled and smacked his hand away. When John finally exited the motel room, Dean ushered Sam into the impala while John and Caleb exchanged some harsh words with each other.

John climbed into the driver’s seat, glanced at his sons and then pulled out of the motel parking lot. The only sound was that of one John’s classic rock tapes. They had been driving for about half an hour before John broke the silence.

“Dean, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

Dean shook his head, “No you didn’t. That’s your problem. You never think. You’re just concerned about getting the job done that you don’t care who gets caught in the crossfire. More than anything it’s usually Sam. Like I said earlier, I don’t what your problem is with him, but he’s your son. Act like it.”

John blinked not used to hearing his oldest talk to him like that. He glanced at his youngest in the back through the rearview mirror. Sam was asleep, sprawled across the bench seat. Sam reminded him of Mary in more ways than one. He sighed as he thought back to that night that Mary died in his nursery. He shook his head. It was his fault that Mary was gone, and it was also his fault that Dean almost died. If he let it continue Sam would end up killing Dean as well and he couldn’t handle that.

Dean frowned as he glanced out the window, “Where are we headed? We have another job lined up?”

John didn’t look at his son, “Pastor Jim.”

 

**TBC...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh and I will give you a slight heads up, this story was supposed to be a prequel to Not Your Typical Hunt but it kinda took a life of its own and while I still consider it a prequel there are some things that suggest it isnt. Decide for yourselves.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

By the time John finally pulled in front of Jim Murphy’s house, both his sons were passed out in the back. On the way over there John bought them both McDonald’s happy meals and doctored up their drinks. He felt bad that he had to drug them for his plan to work, but he knew if they were awake, Dean would never let him go through with it. Jim opened his door, frowning at John.

“Do you realize what time it is?”

John jogged over to him, “Yes. I’m sorry Jim.”

Jim sighed, “So, how long are the boys staying this time?”

John shook his head, “Just Sammy. I need Dean’s help this time around.”

Jim blinked, “John, you know separating those boys is asking for trouble. Do they know that Sam is going to be staying here?”

John chewed at his lip before nodding, “Of course.”

Jim frowned and when John picked up Sam and he noticed that both boys were knocked out, he realized that of course John was lying, “John, I hope you have a good explanation for this. You know good and well that these boys don’t know anything with what’s going on.”

“I’ll explain it to Dean when he wakes up. Where should I lay him?”

Jim sighed and walked into the house, gesturing to the couch, “What about Sam, huh? What am I supposed to say to him?”

John shrugged, “I don’t care. It’s not like he’ll really understand anyway. We should be back in about a week.”

Jim watched John walk out the door and sighed as his gaze fell on Sam’s sleeping form. He hoped John had a good explanation for splitting his sons up like this. He grabbed a blanket and covered Sam’s sleeping form with and brushed his hair back from his eyes. Sam moaned and shifted.

“I’m sorry Sam,” Jim whispered, knowing that the boy couldn’t hear him. He took one more look at Sam before he headed up to bed.

Sam woke up early the next morning as usual and realized something was off. He sat up and blinked. For starters he was on someone’s couch under their blanket. Where was his father? Where was Dean? He slowly stood and carefully explored his surroundings while trying not to freak out and have a panic attack.

Jim walked down the stairs just as he spotted Sam coming back inside the house, “Sam?” he called before smacking himself. Of course Sam couldn’t hear his name being called.

Jim walked over to Sam and carefully put a hand on the boy’s shoulders so as not to scare him further, “Sam.”

Sam looked up with wide eyes. **_Pastor Jim? Why am I here and were is everyone?_**

Jim sighed, “Sam, I’m sorry but I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Sam groaned before he searched for a piece of paper and a pencil. He wrote out his questions and presented the paper to Pastor Jim. Jim swallowed.

“Your father had a hunt that he needed Dean’s help and he left you here with me saying it was too dangerous for you. Said something about Dean getting upset if you were in harm’s way?”

Sam took the paper and wrote: _How long?_

“John said no more than a week.”

Sam slumped. What exactly was he supposed to do with himself for a whole week?

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

“Dean,” John said, watching his oldest pace around the motel room. “I did it so I wouldn’t accidentally put him in harm’s way again.”

Dean stopped pacing and looked at him, “Yeah but did you have to do it while I was asleep? He’s probably freaking out right now wondering where we are. You should’ve given me time to explain to him what was going on.”

“I’m sorry but I got word of this hunt at the last minute. I wasn’t about to wake you both up so you could have a little heart to heart.”

Dean blinked and wisely refused to comment, “So what’s the hunt?”

John explained the hunt to Dean. He explained how according to the victims and the patterns of the monster’s kills it appeared to be that of a Daeva.

Dean frowned as he sat down, “A Daeva? But, if that’s so, then that means someone must be controlling it right? I mean these things are actually Shadow demons.”

John nodded, “Exactly. In order to get rid of it we have to find the alter and destroy it.”

“Great, and here I thought this would be easy. In order to do that, we need to find out who’s controlling the thing.”

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

A week came and went and Sam still remained at Pastor Jim’s. He had texted Dean a few times but hadn’t received a response which was highly unlike Dean.  He also texted his father too, but as usual his father never responded to anything. He was starting to worry that they weren’t going to come back for him.

“I think that the job is taking a little longer than usual,” Jim told Sam one morning over breakfast. “Either that or they went to another job. But don’t worry; I’m sure they’ll get in touch with you when they can. In the meantime, I registered you in the local middle school.”

Sam looked at him the question “why” apparent on his face. Jim smiled.

“I know how much you love school and I figured you’d want something to do besides sitting around all day.”

Sam smiled and Jim drove to the school after they finished eating. They met with the principal and a few other people where they explained that Sam was deaf. Sam explained that as long as the teacher spoke slowly enough that he’d be able to read their lips, and they wrote stuff on the board, he’d be okay. They assured him that that wouldn’t be a problem and so the next day Sam was walking into the school building after Jim dropped him off.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Harmone stood in the shadows and watched the little hunter as he entered the school. After a few minutes she pulled out her cellphone and made a call.

“I saw him,” was all she said when the call was answered. She listened and then responded with an affirmative before disconnecting the call. Picking up her backpack, she headed into the school and immediately searched Sam out.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam stood over by his locker reading his schedule. He cocked his head as he felt the vibrations of the ringing bell and had it confirmed by all the rushing students as they hurried to get to class. Hoisting his bag on his back, he headed toward the History classroom.

The teacher spotted Sam as he walked into the classroom and read his notes from the principal on Sam Winchester. It said that he needed a lot of written and hand cues as he couldn’t hear. He shook his head. Who in their right mind would allow a deaf kid to come to this school? He sighed as he began to do roll call. This should be interesting.

  **TBC...**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

“John, I don’t care what your intentions were, that boy needs his family!” Jim yelled into the phone.

_“You said yourself that he’s doing fine. Trust me Jim; I know what I’m doing.”_

“No John you don’t! You’re isolating a young kid away from his family when he needs them the most all because he’s _deaf_?! Have you gone insane?”

_“Do not lecture me about how to raise my boys Jim. Sam needs to become independent and not rely on his brother for everything.”_

Jim sighed, “John just please. He needs his brother and his father. Just come get him,” he said before hanging up the phone.

Jim prayed that John would stop looking at his youngest son as something like that was stuck on the bottom of his shoe. Yes, Sam was doing okay, but Jim knew he was desperately missing his family. Especially his brother.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Harmone smiled as she carefully approached Sam in the hallway by his locker. She carefully tapped him on the shoulder so as not to scare him. Sam turned and looked at her.

**_Hi Sam, my name is Harmone._ **

**_Uh…hi. You know sign language?_ **

Harmone smiled and nodded, **_I have an uncle who is partially deaf so we use sign language to speak him. Would you like to sit with me at lunch?_**

Sam smiled and nodded. Harmone led the way to the lunch room all the while Sam was signing to her.

**_I can’t believe I finally found someone who can sign with me. I thought I was all alone in this school. A lot of the teachers and some of the students look at me like I’m a weirdo._ **

Harmone chuckled as she led Sam to a table. **_Don’t worry about it. It’s just that we’ve never had someone like you here._**

Sam nodded as he sat down and began to unpack his lunch. Harmone grinned. **_So where you born deaf?_**

 ** _Yeah,_** Sam replied. **_My brother and I took a class on ASL so we’d know how to communicate with each other. We also made up our own signs for things. My father refused to learn. I mean I guess its okay I can read lips._**

**_What about your mother?_ **

Sam swallowed and looked down at his food for a moment. **_She’s dead. She died when I was six months old. My father blames me for that night._**

Harmone’s eyes widened. **_I’m sure it wasn’t your fault. Your father was probably just upset._**

**_He told me it was my fault because she died in my nursery._ **

Harmone blinked and watched Sam’s posture. She shook her head. How could his father blame him for something that he couldn’t have prevented? From the way he was reacting, she could tell that he believed it too. She reached over and lifted Sam’s head to look at her face.

“It’s not your fault,” she said, speaking slowly.

Sam blinked back tears and nodded. Soon they changed the conversation to something else and by the time lunch was over, Sam was smiling again. Harmone grinned as she walked him to his next class. She loved his smile and wanted to always see his smile. As she walked toward her own class she pulled out her cell and sent a text.

_ Call me later. We really need to talk. _

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Dean looked up from the computer when his father walked into their current motel room, “Dad, when are we going to get Sammy?”

“Soon, son. I promise when we’re done with this hunt we will.”

Dean frowned, “That’s what you said with the last two hunts. And the last hunt had been a simple salt and burn. It was something that Sam could’ve been here for.”

John turned away from his son and sat on the bed, “Did you do research on the office building?”

Dean blinked before standing, “Yeah, but I’m not really finding much. You know if Sammy was here he’d be able to find what we’re looking for. Dad, what’s going on?”

“What are you talking about?”

Dean cocked his head, “Why did you leave Sam with Pastor Jim?”

John shook his head, “Dean, we don’t have time for this right now. I’ve already explained to you why. Now, I want you to go to the office building and do an EMF sweep.”

Dean frowned, “But we already did that.”

“Not the entire office building,” John said, sitting in front of the computer.

Dean frowned but headed out. As he sat in the car, he chewed his lip as he was in thought. After a few minutes, he pulled out his cellphone.

_“Hello?”_

“Pastor Jim? It’s Dean.”

_“Hello Dean. What can I do for you?”_

“I know you’ve talked to my dad. Why is he keeping Sam there with you?”

_“I don’t know.”_

“Bullshit! I know you know. Now cut the fucking crap and tell me something!” Dean slammed his hand on the steering wheel angrily.

Jim sighed, _“He told me that he wanted Sam to not to be so dependent on you for everything.”_

“How’s he doing? Really.”

_“He’s doing alright. He’s in school and surprisingly, or maybe not, he’s doing well. I just saw him and it looks like he’s made a friend. A girl. But, he’s missing you guys terribly. He asks me constantly when you all are coming.”_

“I don’t care what my dad says, we’re coming as soon as we wrap up this hunt,” Dean hung up the phone.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam smiled as he got out the car and waved to Harmone, walking into the house with a smile on his face. He greeted Pastor Jim with a smile and a wave as he headed up to his room. When Jim checked on him he found Sam sitting on the bed engrossed in his homework. He walked over to the bed and was about to reach out when Sam looked up.

“Ready for dinner?” Jim asked.

Sam nodded and put aside his homework before following Jim downstairs. After sitting in silence for a few minutes Jim grinned.

“I talked to Dean today.”

Sam’s eyes lit up, “He coming?” he asked softly.

Jim had noticed that while Sam could speak, he didn’t like it. Recently he started to use his voice more but only with short sentences. Jim nodded.

“He said as soon as he and John finish their current hunt they will be here.”

Sam suddenly saw Jim stand up and frowned but he realized that the phone had been ringing. A few minutes later Jim sat back down with a frown on his face. Sam cocked his head as if to ask what was wrong.

Jim shook his head, frowning, “That was one of the members of the church. She asked me if I could add her son into the prayer circle.”

“Why?”

“They found him in the woods this afternoon. He was cut open and his heart was missing.”

Sam frowned, “Werewolf.”

Jim nodded, “That seems plausible, but the only thing is that it isn’t the full moon. The full moon isn’t until next week.”

Sam blinked. **_I wanna see the body,_** he wrote on a piece of paper before he slipped the paper to Jim.

Jim blinked and shook his head, “No Sam. Let’s wait until your father and Dean get here.”

Sam huffed, **_Please. I can try and figure it out. Who knows when they’ll get here. There could be more bodies by then._**

Jim sighed, “Fine. They’re doing an autopsy to try and determine cause of death. I’ll call the mortician. We’ll go tomorrow when you get out of school.”

Sam smiled and finished his dinner. He helped Jim clean up and then went back to his room to finish his homework. He wanted to prove that he just because he was young and deaf, he could still hunt. He wanted to make Dean proud, but more than anything he wanted to make his father proud.

Unknown to Jim and Sam, a jaguar had been observing the whole thing and when Sam left the kitchen, it slunk away toward the woods.

**TBC...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

With the help of Pastor Jim Sam worked this case. After they had talked that night, there had been two more bodies found. According to everything the two found out it really looked like it was werewolf but they couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t following the full moon pattern. While Sam was at school, Jim worked parts of the case that an eleven year old boy couldn’t do. Sam, while at school, kept a close eye on his friend Harmone who he had begun to suspect just a little. He also did his best to question his teachers and classmates. Of course they thought he was weird but in the end they answered some of his questions. When he wasn’t in school, he questioned some of the locals.

Three more days had gone by and Dean and John still hadn’t showed, but that didn’t matter to Sam right now. What mattered is that he had a feeling that he starting to piece everything together. After school that day, he headed to the woods where all the victims seemed to have been found in. He was so preoccupied that he didn’t notice a jaguar following him.

Suddenly Sam froze and so did the jaguar. It was startled when Sam suddenly turned around pointing a gun at it. The jaguar completely froze and the two stared at each other for a few minutes. Sam watched as the jaguar swept its head around and to his amazement, it started to shift and change. He blinked in shock as he stared at a very human and a very naked Harmone.

“Harmone.”

She nodded. Sam cocked the gun and pointed. She held up her hands in the peace gesture before she signed to him. **_I’m not going to hurt you Sam._**

Sam lowered the gun a little and cocked his head at her. She nodded. **_Let me get some clothes on and I’ll explain everything._**

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

**_I knew who and what you were the minute I laid eyes on you at the school._ **

**_What are you? Who are you?_ **

**_I’m what’s called an Ailuranthrope. Basically it’s a half-human half-jaguar. And no, I’m not the monster you’re looking for._ **

Sam blinked with wide eyes. He was speechless. How did she know…?

**_I’m a hunter Sam. I’ve been a hunter ever since my mom died. That’s how I met your brother._ **

**_You know Dean?_ **

Harmone nodded. **_When you came here he called me and told me to keep an eye on you and to keep him updated on how you were doing._**

**_Did you and him…?_ **

Harmone laughed and shook her head. **_No. I met him while I was hunting. He helped me on the hunt. He told me that he wouldn’t be able to do much because he had a little brother he needed to look after while his father was away._**

Sam nodded. **_Okay that makes sense but how did you meet?_**

**_He’d probably never admit this but I saved his ass. You must’ve been with the Pastor. He had been at a bar and a couple of them…anyway, scared the shit out of them when this black jaguar appeared out of nowhere. He tried to kill me too, like you did until I told him what I was._ **

**_Okay. So you said you know the monster I’m looking for?_ **

Harmone nodded. **_It’s the same thing I’ve been hunting ever since my mom died. Skinwalkers._**

**_Skinwalkers? I’ve never heard of them._ **

**_Trust me. Look them up and then give me a call, but in the meantime let’s get you home. The pastor might start to worry._ **

Sam nodded and followed Harmone to her car. When she pulled up to the house he let out a shocked sound to find the impala.

**_Dean’s here. Wanna come in and say hi?_ **

**_No thanks. Your father doesn’t know about me and I’d like to keep it that way._ **

Sam nodded, understanding. He waved to her as he raced into the house. He froze with a big grin on his face as he made his way into the living room.

“Hey kiddo,” Dean grinned.

Sam ran into his brother’s arms and gave him the biggest hug possible to emphasize how much he missed him. Dean ruffled his hair, “I missed you too little brother.”

Sam grinned and ran upstairs grabbing his notebook after adding one specific word into it. He ran down the stairs and showed it to Dean.

“What’s this Sammy?”

“Sam and I have been working this hunt I was telling you about,” Jim grinned. “Well Sam has pretty much done the entire thing himself.”

John looked doubtful. Dean flipped through the pages of notes and his widened, “Sam, this is some heavy stuff. Do you know what the creature is?”

Sam nodded and flipped the page and pointed to the word. Dean blinked, “Skinwalker?”

Jim nodded, “Now that makes sense.”

Sam cocked his head, asking a question. Dean grinned, “Do you know what a skinwalker is Sammy?” he asked and signed at the same time.

Sam shook his head.

Dean explained that it was a creature that looked human but could also shape shift into a dog form. It was a creature that resembled the kill pattern of a werewolf but the only difference was that it didn’t follow the full moon pattern. Sam hung on every word and wrote it all down in the notebook.

**_How do we kill it?_ **

**_The same as a werewolf. With silver bullets._ **

Sam nodded, writing it all down.

“So I bet you have it all figured out huh? You know who it is, right and where it camps.”

Sam blinked and looked at Dean for a translation. John rolled his eyes and let out a very annoyed sound when Dean translated.

Sam shook his head. **_I know where it camps but I don’t know exactly who it is._**

Dean translated what Sam said. Sam flinched back when John showed his anger. Dean rubbed his back, “It’s okay Sammy.”

“John, calm down. I mean he said that he knows where the creature camps. All we have to do head there,” Jim spoke calmly.

“ _He_ is staying put. We don’t need another ‘accident’ because he refuses to follow directions,” John spat angrily

While Sam didn’t understand everything that his father was saying, he understood a few words and he realized that he was telling Sam to stay put. His eyes filled with tears and he ran upstairs to his room. Dean rounded on his father.

“What the hell dad! This is his hunt.”

“His hunt? Pastor Jim helped him!”

“Not as much as you think John. Your son is a good hunter. You think I could put things together like this? Please. And you know, I don’t even hunt as much as I used to you. Dean’s right. This is Sam’s hunt and to refuse him from completing it…”

“He’s an eleven year old deaf kid. He wouldn’t know the difference between a shapeshifter and a demon if it was staring him in his face!”

Dean’s blood boiled and he punched his father in the face. He turned on his heels and headed upstairs to get his brother. He found him sitting on the bed.

Dean sat on the bed and lifted his brother’s face and wasn’t all that surprised to find that he had been crying.

“What did I do wrong?” Sam asked softly.

Dean shook his head, “Nothing. Dad’s just being an ass. Sammy, I’m so fucking proud of you. Jim told us how you did this practically on your own. That’s impressive.”

Sam smiled despite the tears running down his face. **_I had a little help. Pastor Jim helped, but it was your friend Harmone who helped me figure it out._**

“Harmone? I figured.”

**_She told me how you asked her to keep an eye on me. Thanks._ **

**_No problem. Now, are you ready to kick some skinwalker ass?_ **

**_But…dad…_ **

**_Don’t worry about it Sammy. It’s only right that you get to finish this hunt._ **

Sam grinned and followed his brother out the room.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam led the hunters into the woods. While Sam and Dean were upstairs, John called Caleb, who wasn’t far away and met them. When they explained about the hunt and what Sam and Jim did, Caleb agreed with the others in letting Sam finish what was technically his hunt. John had been pissed, but eventually let up after some harsh words from Jim. Dean followed closely behind to act mainly as translator in case Sam needed it. John was lagging behind with Caleb grumbling about the whole thing. Which was so un-John-like. Caleb sighed. He knew that it had to do with the fact that it was Sam who was calling the shots and not him. But he had had enough of his grumbling.

“John, either shut up or go wait in the car.”

Sam suddenly stopped and looked at Dean. He spotted a shack and he was a little unsure of what to do. This wasn’t like burning bones. Dean grinned and placed his hand on his shoulder. Sam nodded and led the way all the way to the shack.  He opened the door and spotted at least five people. They all looked up at him. One of them grinned and walked over to him.

“It’s just a kid. Hey, little man, what are you doing over here?”

Sam knew that the skinwalker was talking but couldn’t figure out what he was saying. He lifted his gun and placed two bullets in the creature’s chest just like Dean had taught him. After that everything was a blur as the others quickly figured out what was happening and shifted before attacking. He didn’t look to Dean for cues once and just attacked. He panted, looking around once they were all dead. He shook his head, blinking to clear his vision. Dean seemed to be a little cut up, but okay. His father was on the floor and looked like he had a broken wrist. Where was Caleb? Caleb was…on the ground and he wasn’t moving. Sam winced as he limped over to the pastor. Suddenly he was shoved to the side as his father closed in. His eyes widened when he recognized the words “He’s dead.”

Sam, not caring about his injured leg, ran. He kept running, not caring about anything and of course he didn’t hear Dean calling his name. He just ran and kept running.

**TBC...**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

 

Sam just ran and didn’t notice Harmone until she tackled him knocking him down on the ground. When Sam recognized her he attempted to run again but she bared her teeth and claws as a threat and he froze. She quickly shifted back and dressed before sitting down on the ground in front of him.

**_Sam, Dean’s worried about you. Why are you running?_ **

Sam shook his head. **_I can’t go back there. Harmone, don’t make me go back. Please._**

Harmone blinked. **_Sam, talk to me. Tell me what happened._**

**_It was my fault. I got him killed. I didn’t mean to but he’s dead and its all my fault._ **

**_Who?_ **

**_Caleb. He came with us on the hunt and now…_ **

Harmone sighed and shook her head. **_Sam, it wasn’t your fault. Caleb came knowing what he was getting himself into. As a hunter you go into a hunt knowing that that could very well be your last. So you didn’t get Caleb killed._**

**_But, dad…_ **

Harmone shook her head. **_Don’t listen to him. No offense but your father is an asshole. Dean told me everything, and I gotta say, that you did an amazing job. Not many hunters can do what you did._**

Sam gave her a watery smile. He frowned when he saw her tilt her head. He was about to ask what was wrong when Dean came over.

“There you are. I’ve been worried about you,” He said, giving Sam the sign they came up with for “had me worrying.”

Sam ducked his head in an apology. Dean knelt down and ruffled his hair, “S’okay.”

**_Sam, I’m going to talk to Dean for a minute okay?_ **

Sam nodded. He appreciated that Harmone, like Dean, let him know that she was going to talk to someone else. Others just started to talk to someone else completely ignoring him like he wasn’t there.

Dean stood and walked over to the side with Harmone, “What is it?”

Harmone shook her head, “Dean, you have any idea why Sam ran away?”

Dean frowned, crossing his arms, “I have an idea but I’m sure you’re gonna tell me.”

“Your father. He’s got that boy so conditioned that everything he does is his fault. He told me before that your father told him that your mother’s death was his fault.”

Dean blinked, “What? How could it be his fault? He was six months old!”

Harmone nodded, “That’s what he said. And when Caleb died…”

“He knew dad would yell at him and blame him,” Dean finished.

Harmone nodded.

Dean sighed, rubbing his temple, “He’s been pissed at Sam ever since I got attacked by a werewolf. Sam had tried to help and instead of tripping us or the werewolf off, he shot at it, but it attacked me instead,” Dean shook his head.

“Does your father know what he did with this hunt?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah. Jim told him and he saw the work Sam did. He just doesn’t care. He feels that because Sam’s deaf he’s a nuisance.”

Harmone shook her head. She nodded toward Sam who was tugging on Dean’s jacket.

“Hey, hey, watch the merchandise,” Dean teased. **_What’s up?_**

**_I’m hungry._ **

Dean chuckled, “Okay. Let’s go get dinner.”

  **TBC...**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

 

Later that evening, Sam and Dean waited in the car while their dad gave Caleb a hunter’s burial. Dean had wanted to help, but he was worried more about Sam so he sat with him in the car and they waited for their father. Sam kept his eyes glued to his lap and Dean sighed. He put a hand on his brother’s thigh and rubbed soothing circles on it. Sam looked up and Dean winked. That earned him a small smile. When John finally slipped into the driver’s seat, no words were spoken and John just drove. He drove until he had entered the next town and still he hadn’t spoken a word. Dean could tell he was angry.

“Um, sir, can we stop for the night?” he asked carefully.

John glanced at him through the rearview mirror and gave a tight nod. They stopped at the first motel John found. While John went to check them in, Dean woke Sam up. He blew on his brother’s face. Sam’s eyes fluttered and he opened them, looking at Dean.

**_Come on Sammy, we’re at a motel. You can sleep in a real bed._ **

Sam groaned and stretched before he followed his brother out of the car. He wasn’t prepared for his father to snatch him up the minute they walked into the room.

“Dad?” Dean frowned.

John smacked Sam across the face, “What the hell is the matter with you, you little piece of shit.”

Sam yelped and Dean frowned, “Dad! Let him go!”

John kept smacking Sam around, “You think you’re a badass hunter like your brother? Fight back. Come on, show me what you’re made of!”

“Dad, cut it out!” Dean yelled, trying to pull his father off his brother.

John was seething, jerking out of Dean’s grasp as he tossed Sam on the ground. Sam whimpered and tried to move out of his father’s line of sight. Both Dean and Sam’s eyes went wide when they saw the belt. John had never beat any of his kids before. Sure, he smacked them up every now and again, but beat them? Never. Dean shoved his father away.

“Dad, stop. You don’t need to do this. He knows he messed up. He’s sorry.”

John shoved Dean, causing him to stumble and fall, “SORRY?! He doesn’t even know the meaning of the word.”

John brought the belt down on Sam’s side causing the youth to scream.

“Look at you! A little weakling that kills everyone they come across. Your mother died because of you, you almost killed your brother and now you killed Caleb,” John spoke, hitting Sam with each sentence. “Who’s next? Dean or me? Well I won’t let that happen.”

Sam was screaming and sobbing uncontrollably. Dean groaned, rubbing his head. He blinked as he stood and went over to his duffle, pulling out his Colt Magnum. Pointing it at his father, he cocked it. John froze and turned to Dean. He gave Dean a look.

“Back up from him or I will shoot you,” Dean said, voice hard.

John chuckled, “You wouldn’t dare shoot me.”

He turned back to Sam and raised the belt again as if he was going to hit Sam again. Dean shot his father in the knee.

“Never turn your back on a man with a gun. Care to try me again? Drop the belt and step away or I’ll put a bullet in your chest.”

John looked at Dean and when Dean cocked the gun again, he dropped the belt. Dean put the gun into the waist of his pants and rushed to his brother’s side.

“Sam. Hey,” he said, waving his hand in front of his brother’s face trying to track his movement.

Ignoring his father for the moment, He picked up his brother, grabbed the keys and took Sam to the impala. After he situated his brother in the back, he went back into the motel and grabbed their stuff. As he was walking out he fixed his father with an icy glare.

“When you can act like a father and not like a pompous ass because you have a problem with your son’s condition, give me a call, but I swear to god, if I see you within ten feet of us, especially Sam, I’ll shoot you.”

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Dean didn’t stop driving until he was at least two towns over. Only then did he pull over and inspect his brother’s wounds. He sighed. He was just glad John didn’t hit him hard enough to break the skin. He would have several nasty bruises for a while, but that wasn’t so bad that they needed a hospital. He pulled his brother into his lap and laid his head against the seat and closed his eyes.’

Sam opened his eyes wondering where he was and what happened. He sat up wincing and that’s when he remembered the beating his father gave him last night. He looked up at Dean who was on the phone.

“Bobby,” Dean mouthed.

Sam frowned, wondering why he was talking to Bobby, but didn’t ask. He tried to stretch his aching muscles but it only caused him pain and he tried not to cry out. He felt Dean rubbing his arms and looked at him.

**_Sorry kiddo. You’re gonna be in a bit of pain for a while. John left you quite a few nasty bruises. You hungry?_ **

Sam frowned. Why was Dean calling their father John? He nodded. Dean nodded and they switched to the front of the car and he pulled back onto the road. They stopped for breakfast at some café that was across the street from a gas station. Dean filled up the car and Sam used the restroom and then purchased them some snacks before meeting his brother back into the car.

**_Where’s Dad? Where are we going?_ **

**_Bobby’s and Dad isn’t allowed to come near us until he can pull that stick from his ass or I’ll kick his ass._ **

**_Dean…_ **

**_After what he pulled? Hell no. I’m not having him come near you again. I’ve put up with it for too long but not anymore._ **

Sam swallowed back tears and looked down at his hands. Dean sighed and tapped Sam’s cheek. Sam blinked and looked up at him.

**_You didn’t do anything wrong. Not now, not then, okay? John is just too hardheaded to see anything except what he wants. Sammy, you’re a good kid and an amazing hunter. He just chooses not to see it._ **

Sam sighed. **_I wish he did._**

**_Me too, but he’s too blinded by the fact that you’re deaf and thinks that because you can’t hear, you’re worthless. Which, is far from the truth. Me, Harmone, and even Jim knows it._ **

Sam swallowed and gave a small smile before looking out the window. Dean sighed as he pulled back on the road. He hated how much their father hurt him and not just physically. John needed to look past Sam’s disability, but Dean didn’t think he would ever would.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

John sat fuming in the motel room. Dean had disabled the GPS on his phone. He didn’t think Dean had actually been serious, but he seemed to underestimate him when it came to Sam. This had been the reason he tried to separate them in the first place, but he figured it wasn’t far enough. He knew that with Sam out of the way Dean would see things his way. As much as he hated to do it, he needed Sam out of the way permanently. The first thing he needed to do was to find them first.

“Jim? Yeah, It’s John. Listen, Dean and Sam took off last night. I don’t know why and Dean disabled the GPS on his phone so I have no idea how to find them.”

After a few minutes, John hung up from Jim and dialed Bobby before calling a few other hunters he knew that would keep a look out for his boys. Now all he had to do was wait.

**TBC...**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

It took Sam and Dean two days to reach Bobby’s due to the fact that Dean had to stop and get some cream to help with Sam’s bruises, and they had stopped to sleep along the way. Dean was nearing Bobby’s when his phone rang and he frowned when he saw it was Harmone.

“Hey baby.”

“Such a charmer,” Harmone laughed. “Where are you and Sam?”

“In South Dakota we’re going to visit another hunter. He would take care of us when we were younger,” Dean explained. “Why?”

“Because your father is looking for you. I’ve been keeping an ear out through the hunter grapevine. He’s contacted a few other hunters including this Bobby. I didn’t think you’d actually run away.”

Dean sighed as he pulled up to Bobby’s house, “Yeah well I didn’t think my father would do what he did to Sam so…” He shook his head, “Listen, thanks. I gotta go.”

Dean hung up the phone and proceeded to wake his brother up before grabbing their stuff and heading up the stairs to Bobby’s house.

“Hey boys. It’s good to see you,” He spoke as well as signed after opening the door.

Dean grinned. Bobby was cool like that. Bobby was pretty much the only one, besides himself, that actually took the time out to learn sign language to be able to communicate with Sam. Mind you, Bobby could speak a multitude of languages. Dean found out a year ago that Bobby could speak Japanese.

**_Good to see you too Bobby. Thanks for letting us stay._ **

**_Nonsense boy, you know you’re always welcome here. That goes double for your idjit brother._ **

Sam laughed as they walked into the house. Dean took their stuff up to their room while Sam just wandered around trying to familiarize himself with Bobby’s house. It seemed like forever since he had been there.

“So your daddy called asking if I’d seen you two. I didn’t tell him nothing, but it sounds like he’s really gunning for you two,” Bobby said to Dean.

Dean sighed. Bobby put a hand on Dean’s shoulder, “Calm down Dean. I won’t say a word, but just remember your father’s good.”

Dean just nodded. Bobby made the boys some lunch where they discussed what had happened and what they were going to do. Dean knew that their father was bound to catch them sooner or later.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

John was beyond pissed off. He was sure he would’ve found his sons by now. Especially with all the hunters he had looking for them. After much thought, he had a feeling he knew where his sons were. He got in contact with one of his other close hunter buddies who brought him a truck that the hunter owned.

“John, have you thought about why the boys ran?”

“What does it matter? They ran away and they need to be brought back.”

Drew knew better than to question. He handed over the keys to the truck and left John to it.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Bobby wanted to know why the boys were at his house and about the bruises that were on Sam, but he wisely kept his mouth shut. He had a feeling that John was behind it. He looked at the boys curled up on the couch. Sam was reading and Dean was channel surfing. As soon as he entered the room, Dean looked up.

“I know you wanna know why we’re here. I just…couldn’t stay. Not after what he did.”

Bobby frowned and sat in the armchair, “What happened Dean?”

Dean sighed, looking at his brother, “He did an awesome job, Bobby. He figured out a skinwalker hunt all by himself and with a little help from Pastor Jim. He had figured everything down to the last detail. I mean you should’ve seen the kid’s notes. After much arguing, I suggested that Sam complete it and he be the one to kill the creature with us as back up of course.”

Bobby nodded, “Right.”

Dean closed his eyes, “Things went crazy. I mean there was a whole pack of them. By the time the air cleared we were all pretty banged up but Caleb…he was dead. And Sam ran. Eventually I caught up to him and we talked. That night after we left town…John beat him so bad.”

Bobby’s eyes went wide, “What?”

“He was furious. I mean he was mad when Sam tried to help with a werewolf hunt and I accidentally got caught in the crossfire. But this…Bobby…I had never heard Sam scream like he did.”

“So what did you do?”

“I threatened to kill him, took Sam to the impala, and just drove away.”

Bobby nodded, “Dean, your father called saying that you two ran away.”

Dean looked at Bobby with wide eyes.

“Don’t worry son, I didn’t tell him anything, but I have a feeling he’s probably on his way over here. What do you want to do?”

Dean shrugged, running his fingers through his brother’s hair, “I don’t know.”

Bobby nodded, “We’ll figure something out. But in the meantime, why don’t you two go get some rest. I set up your room.”

Dean smiled his thanks and led his brother upstairs. Bobby watched the two go and sighed, “Damn John.”

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

John pulled up to Bobby’s and frowned when he didn’t find the impala sitting there like he expected. He shook his head. It didn’t matter.

“John, you have any idea what time it is?” Bobby answered the door gruffly. “You’re lucky I didn’t just shoot your ass.”

“Hey Bobby. Aren’t you gonna invite me in?”

Bobby narrowed his eyes, but moved to the side. He handed John the holy water flask. John gave him a look that said _really_ and took a sip.

“Now that we’ve determined I’m not a demon, can we talk?”

“John, its one in the morning. What on earth do you want to talk to me about?”

“Have you seen the boys?”

Bobby shook his head, “Didn’t I tell you I’d call you if I did? I haven’t heard from them.”

John cocked his head, “Are you sure? I mean after all I would’ve thought they’d come to see you since you’re so ‘good to them’ as Dean told me once.”

“Yeah well they’re not here. Probably because they know you’d come here hunting down their asses.”

“Well do you mind if I just stay until daylight?”

Bobby hesitated for a split second before nodding. John grinned and walked upstairs.

Dean bolted awake and peeked out of the door and gasped. He knew his dad would show up here just like Bobby said. He glanced at his sleeping brother and picked him up off the bed.

Sam opened his eyes and frowned when Dean gave him the “keep quiet” sign. Dean urged him under the bed and he himself went to hide in the closet. Just as he figured, John opened the door.

“John! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Bobby asked stomping up the stairs.

“Just looking at their old room,” John said, backing away going to the room that he used at Bobby’s.

Bobby opened the door and peeked in and sighed when there was no sign that the boys were even in there. He shut the door with a smile on his face. Dean was good.

  **TBC...**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The next morning Dean kept Sam in the room as he didn’t know if their father was still there.

**_Dean, what’s going on?_ **

**_Dad’s here looking for us Sammy._ **

**_Are we gonna go back with him?_ **

**_No. He can’t make us go back._ **

**_I don’t wanna._ **

**_I know kiddo. I won’t let you. I promise._ **

Dean wasn’t sure how to make that possible as they both were still minors, but he’d do whatever possible to prevent them from going back to their father. He gave Sam the sign for “stay put” before he slipped out of the room.

John looked up, seeing Dean and fixed Bobby with a glare, “You lied to me.”

“Damn right he did. You have no right to come looking for us. Not after what you did,” Dean spoke angrily.

“Dean, you and Sam are minors. You need to be with your parent.”

Dean raised an eyebrow, “And that’s you? Since when have you acted as a parent to either one of us? And since when did you care about the law?”

“Dean, I’m just worried about you boys.”

Dean scoffed, “Yeah right. You’re only concern is getting me back to hunt. I told you before that you hurt him and I’m done. This has gone on long enough. I won’t let you mistreat Sam because you have a problem with his being deaf.”

“Dean, please. That’s not true.”

Neither one of them heard Sam come downstairs.

“You _beat_ him dad! That kid is already hurting from the things you’ve been telling him and then you go and beat him?! Because Caleb got killed?”

“John, Sam is an amazing boy. Dean told me about the hunt he did. For you to go blaming him for Caleb’s death…”

“And not just Caleb’s death, for Mom’s death, for me being attacked by the werewolf, dad it’s…not right.”

Sam slumped while he couldn’t understand everything. He was able to read their lips enough to know they were talking about him. He shuffled away from the kitchen and sat on the front porch. Dean frowned when he’d heard the front door and went to find Sam sitting on the porch.

**_I thought I told you to stay upstairs._ **

**_I was worried. Sorry._ **

Dean frowned and knelt beside him. He made the sign for “what’s wrong”. Sam sighed.

**_Dad is never going to see me as anything other than that useless deaf kid he has to lug around._ **

**_Sammy, that’s not true._ **

**_Yes it is Dean, and you know it. Dad doesn’t care about me. As far as he’s concerned I should’ve died in that fire instead of mom._ **

Dean wanted to say that Sam was wrong. But he couldn’t. He may have been young, but he remembered when they found out that Sam was deaf. It was when Sam had just turned four months.

_Dean tried not to listen to the adults’ conversation as they talked with the doctor. He was concerned about Sammy._

_“Mommy, I can take Sammy for a little walk.”_

_Mary smiled and nodded, knowing it would calm her youngest son. She carefully handed her wailing son over to her eldest. Dean carefully held him as he walked out of the doctor’s office._

_“Shh, Sammy. I know you don’t feel well, but you gotta stop crying,” he said gently rocking him as he walked to the waiting room._

_He sat in the chair rocking his brother back and forth until he eventually fell asleep. Dean kissed his brother’s head and smiled as his parents came out into the waiting room._

_“John it’s not that bad.”_

_“Mary…it is. Think about it.”_

_Dean frowned, “What’s wrong? What did they say was wrong with Sammy?”_

_Mary knelt down in front of her boys and smiled at how protectively Dean was cradling his brother, “The doctor said that Sam is deaf. He won’t be able to ever hear.”_

_Dean nodded, “Well as long as we help him, it’ll be okay.”_

Dean was pulled out of his thoughts by Sam shaking him.

**_Sorry. I was just remembering the day mom told us you were deaf. You were four months old._ **

**_Wow. How’d dad react?_ **

**_Unfortunately, like you expected. He wasn’t happy. He kept talking about how bad it was and how different you were._ **

Sam sighed. **_I told you. He hates me. Always has. Always will._**

Dean started to say something but then something caught his eye, and he stood. Sam, recognizing his brother’s posture, stood too looking around worriedly.

“Dean?” he called softly.

Dean put his finger to his lips and pulled his gun out of the back of his pants. He told Sam to stay where he was and not to move a muscle before he descended the stairs and headed out toward the junk cars.

Little did he know that was a bad idea.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Dean knew he saw some people on Bobby’s property. He didn’t know if they were just a couple of thugs or if they were supernatural creatures or what. What he did know was that Bobby had too many fucking cars in the junkyard. This made it very hard to maneuver and he also knew it was a good way for them to hide.

He suddenly realized that he made a huge mistake and started running back toward Bobby’s house when he heard it.

“DEEEAAN!!”

Dean put on a burst of speed it seemed like and raced toward Bobby’s house but Sam was gone. Bobby and John both came out and looked at Dean.

“A couple of guys were creeping around on the property so I left Sam to go scare them off,” Dean explained out of breath. He suddenly grabbed his father by the collar, “What did you do?!”

John blinked, “What makes you think I had something to do with this?”

“Because, you’ve always wanted Sam out of the way.”

“So you believe I hired two goons to kidnap my son? Please Dean. I’m not that desperate.”

Dean took a few deep breaths and then ran down the stairs and ran among the cars. Calling Sam’s name, knowing it would be useless.

**TBC...**


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had planned to upload these three chapters a few days ago and I kept forgetting I sincerely apologize. Also this chapter is a tad short but I hope you enjoy it anyway.
> 
> Also as you may see this is under a new name. I just recently changed my name from RogueStorm84 to BlackBeautyQueen33 Same person, same content. I assure you

**Chapter 12**

Dean paced.  And thought. And paced. Eventually he turned to look at his father. John sighed.

“Dean, I swear I didn’t hire those men to kidnap Sam.”

“Whether you did or didn’t doesn’t matter,” Bobby spoke. “What matters is finding him and getting him back.”

And he picked up the phone and started calling hunters. John soon followed his lead. Before he knew it, Dean saw Bobby’s house over crowded with hunters. He shook his head as he headed upstairs to the room he shared with Sam and pulled out his cell, dialing a familiar number.

_“Hey sugar.”_

Dean chuckled, “Hey baby. How’s it going?”

_“Meh. It’s going. Just wrapping up a salt and burn hunt.”_

“Sounds good.”

_“Dean, what’s going on? I know you didn’t just call to check up on me.”_

“What can’t I check up on my friend?”

_“Mm. So…?”_

Dean sighed, “Sam’s missing.”

_“Again?!”_

“Someone kidnapped him. He was right next to me and now he’s gone.”

_“Whoa, slow down sugar. Tell me what happened.”_

Dean sighed again and launched into the whole story. He didn’t even realize it when he started crying.

_“Dean, this wasn’t your fault. Look, I’m nearly done with this hunt and I’ll come that way.”_

“You don’t have to,” Dean said, wiping his face.

_“Please. You and Sam are like family to me. I gotta keep tabs on you two. Probably now more than ever.”_

Dean laughed. The two chatted for a little bit longer and then said their goodbyes. He had pocketed his cell just as Bobby knocked on the door and opened it.

“Dean?”

Dean looked up at Bobby and tried to act like he hadn’t just been crying. Bobby sighed and sat next to him and put an arm around his shoulders.

“It’s alright son. We’ll get him back.”

Dean nodded. He knew they would if he had any say in it.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam groaned and opened his eyes wondering where he was. Wherever he was being kept was pitch black.

“Dean?” he called, knowing he would hear no response.

Suddenly there was light so bright that Sam winced and closed his eyes. His face was jerked and he was forced to open his eyes and he gasped.

“Surprised?” the demon asked. “Sam Winchester. You and your family have caused us a lot of trouble. But all that’s about to end.”

Sam blinked as he was able to read some of the demon’s words but not everything. He just prayed that Dean would come for him before they killed him.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Shortly after, both Bobby and Dean were called downstairs by some of the other hunters.

“Joe and Vic spotted something moving around in the bushes. They went to go check it out,” One of the hunters Dean didn’t recognize explained.

Suddenly Dean spotted movement and the hunters behind it, “Shoot it!”

“No! Wait!” Dean yelled running downstairs.

“Dean, get back here!” John yelled.

“It’s a jaguar. What the hell is a jaguar doing over here?”

“Who cares? Shoot the thing!”

Dean shook his head and stood in front of the jaguar protecting it. The others tried to get him to move but he wasn’t budging. He turned.

“Inside. There’s a bathroom on the first floor near the stairs. You can change in there.” He turned to the others, “Trust me, and don’t shoot.”

The hunters watched as the jaguar followed Dean’s instructions and Dean followed close behind. A few minutes passed and Bobby, John, and the others watched as a young woman emerged from the bathroom.

“What the hell?” John cried, pointing his gun at the girl.

Dean shook his head, “Dad, don’t.”

“Dean, she’s monster. Get out the way. She’s probably the creature that took Sam.”

Harmone growled, baring her teeth. Dean groaned, “Harmone, heal. She’s not going to hurt anyone dad, least of all Sam. She’s a hunter.”

“She’s a shifter.”

“Technically I’m an Ailuranthrope. It’s a half human half jaguar.”

No one seemed to notice how Bobby had frozen at the sight of Harmone. Eventually Harmone turned and looked at him and walked over to him.

Bobby swallowed, “Harmone.”

“Hello dad.”

**TBC...**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Neither Winchester were prepared for this. They looked at each before looking at Bobby and Harmone, “What?!”

Harmone smiled and nodded at Dean, “We can talk about it later. I came with information about Sam.”

That got John’s attention, “What kind of information.”

“Demons. He was taken by demons.”

“How can you tell?” Bobby asked.

“As I was running here. I could smell it,” Harmone explained.

“Dammit!” Dean cursed.

Bobby frowned, shaking his head, “What would demons want with Sam?”

No one seemed to have an answer.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

“You really think keeping silent will prevent the inevitable? Oh poor Sammy,” The demon sneered.

Sam winced. Honestly, he just wanted the demon to get on with whatever he wanted with Sam.

“You Winchesters have been a real thorn in our side. But today all that’s gonna change. Just as soon as daddy dearest and big brother get here. And trust me, they’ll be coming really soon. I mean these are the fucking Winchesters. The best hunters in all the land,” the demon sneered.

Sam groaned and closed his eyes. If his father was that good he would’ve been here hours ago.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Dean and Harmone went out to the spot that Harmone said smelled the most like sulfur. Dean bent down and frowned. He nodded.

“Yup. There were demons here and not just the two that I saw.”

Harmone turned to him, “You saw them?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah I was talking to Sam and then I heard noise and spotted what appeared to be two goons and I went to go chase them off and the next thing I know Sam’s screaming my name as he’s being taken. Dammit! I should’ve known better.”

Harmone sighed, “Dean. This wasn’t your fault. And now is definitely not the time to wallow in self-pity. We need to figure why Sam was kidnapped by demons and where they’re keeping him.”

Dean smirked, “Check it out,” he said pointing to a very obvious trail.

“You think…?”

Dean nodded, “Let’s check it out.”

“Shouldn’t we get the others?”

Dean shook his head, “No. Let’s go check it out first. Then if we need to, we’ll get the others.”

Harmone shrugged and nodded as the two hunters followed the trail. It was a very obvious trail that had Harmone think that the demons made it on purpose to have them follow them.

“Dean.”

“What?”

“This could be a trap and we’re unarmed. I think we should go back and tell the others or at least get some weapons.”

Dean laughed, “Harmone, you’re like a walking weapon. I think we’ll be fine.”

Harmone blinked, “Is this about your father?”

Dean shrugged, but didn’t speak. Harmone sighed as she continued to follow Dean along the path.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam knew that his father would probably be disappointed in him that he didn’t exorcise the demon, but he didn’t like using his voice. He closed his eyes and sighed. He had to be strong for Dean.

“Exorcizamus te omnis immundus spiritus omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica,” Sam began.

The demon whipped his head around and hissed, “Shut up!”

Sam, obviously didn’t hear him and continued the exorcism, “Ergo draco maledicte et omnis legio diabolica adjuramus te.”

The demon started seizing and slapped Sam across his face, but that didn’t stop Sam from whispering the exorcism, “Cessa decipre humanas creaturas, eisque aeternae Perditionis venenum propinare.”

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Dean and Harmone spotted the shack looking building and snuck up to a window. Spotting Sam tied up like a sacrifice almost had Dean jumping to attack right there and then. Harmone frowned.

“I thought there were more demons.”

“There probably are, but just not where we can see,” Dean whispered.

“What’s he doing?” Harmone whispered.

“An exorcism.”

Harmone’s eyes went wide, “Sam knows an entire exorcism? In Latin?”

Dean nodded, “Yeah.”

“Well looky what we have here. More hunters. And look this one’s a Winchester.”

Dean turned to attack but the demons grabbed the two and dragged them inside, “Look who we found hanging around outside.”

The demon that was standing in front of Sam smirked, “Perfect. All we need is daddy dearest. Gag this one,” He said then walked out of the room.

The two other demons tied Harmone and Dean up next to Sam before gagging Sam and smiled. They winked before following their leader out of the room.

“Son of a bitch!”

Harmone chuckled, “I told you we should’ve gone back and gotten back up. But that’s not a big deal right now.”

“Don’t worry I’ll get us out of this.”

Harmone chuckled as she concentrated, “Dean.”

“What?”

“I’m a shifter remember?”

Dean watched as Harmone’s body shifted and changed. Sam blinked in amazement. He’d never seen something like that before. In a matter of minutes, a black jaguar was on the floor. It was clear that Harmone had a plan. The first thing she did was tear the gag from Sam’s face. And then she arched her back on the floor and let out a loud growl. Dean winced and for the moment, envied Sam’s inability to hear. The three demons came running.

“How the hell did a jaguar get in here?”

“What does it matter? Kill it and then find the girl!”

In two seconds Harmone leaped and brought down all three demons at once. She looked at the boys as if to tell them to do the exorcism. Dean turned and gave Sam a look and a nod. Sam nodded.

“Exorcizamus te omnis immundus spiritus omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii, omnis legio, omnis congregatio et secta diabolica. Ergo draco maledicte et omnis legio diabolica adjuramus te. Cessa decipre humanas creaturas, eisque aeternae Perditionis venenum propinare. Vade, Satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciae, hostis humanae salutis.” ******

As soon as Sam got to that part, the demons screamed and exited the people they were possessing. After checking that the humans were still alive and were knocked out, Harmone walked over to the boys and cut them down. Dean called 911 and the three got the hell out of dodge.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

John was just about to send the other hunters out after Dean and Harmone when they appeared in the house with Sam in tow.

“What happened? Where the hell where you?! You know better than to go without backup!” John yelled.

Dean rolled his eyes, “Dad, I had back up and no offense, but you have no right to order me around.”

John blinked, “Dean…you’re my son.”

Dean nodded, “Right. Since when have you acted like it? Since when have you acted like we were your sons and not your ‘good little soldiers’? When have you acted like Sam wasn’t a worthless little piece of shit?”

John swallowed. Dean shook his head.

“Did you know he knows the entire exorcism ritual memorized? And had it not been for him and Harmone, we’d be toast?”

John opened his opened his mouth, but Dean held up his hand, “I’d be careful. I’m not above kicking your ass.”

John immediately closed his mouth. After a few minutes, he trudged to the kitchen. Dean sighed, shaking his head. Dean looked at Harmone and Bobby.

“Alright, you owe us an explanation.”

**TBC....**

* * *

****** We exorcise you, every impure spirit every satanic power, every incursion of the infernal adversary, every legion every congregation and diabolical sect. Thus cursed demon and every diabolical legion we adjure you. Cease to deceive human creatures and to give to them the poison of eternal Perdition. Go away, Satan, the inventor and master of all deceit, the enemy of humanity's salvation.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

After making sure Sam wasn’t seriously injured and both Dean and Harmone were okay, Bobby sat down in the armchair with a beer. Harmone perched on the armchair and Sam and Dean took the couch.

“You remember my wife Karen.”

Dean signed as Bobby talked and both boys nodded. Eventually John came in the living room to hear the story as well.

“You told us she was possessed by a demon and that you had to kill her. That’s what started you on the path of being a hunter,” Dean said.

Bobby sighed and nodded, “That much was true. The thing was…we tried for so long to have children and we couldn’t. We found out later that Karen was infertile.”

**_So what happened?_ **

“Karen had this friend. She discussed the situation with her friend and she agreed to let me impregnate her.” Bobby dragged a hand over his face, “She told us that we had to wait until a certain point for it to work. Neither of us understood that what she meant was that we had to wait for her to go into heat. But we agreed and after…after I impregnated her…it only took her a month to start showing. When Karen asked her about it, she told us. She was half human half jaguar.”

“I bet that didn’t go over well.”

Bobby chuckled bitterly and shook his head, “Definitely not. Karen went ballistic. Called her a bunch of things and told her to leave. She said she didn’t want a child who was half human half animal. So she left and I never saw her again. After Karen died, I managed to contact her and ask her about the child. We kept in contact for years but then three years ago, I stopped hearing from her.”

Harmone sniffed, “A demon.”

“A demon?” Bobby asked.

Harmone nodded, “Three years ago a demon came into our home and killed her. I don’t know why. I mean I didn’t know it was a demon at first. I had done a lot of research and asked around. Someone told me that there was this man named Bobby Singer who would be able to answer any and all of my questions. At first I kept wondering why that name sounded familiar. Until I saw an email from you to her and that’s when I realized who you were.”

Sam looked at Bobby and Harmone. He still couldn’t believe Bobby had a child. He always called Sam and Dean his boys. Bobby smiled at Sam seeming to know what he was thinking.

**_You’re still my boys. This doesn’t change that._ **

Sam blinked. **_But…_**

Harmone chuckled. **_That just means we’re like siblings. I mean I already saw Dean like my brother the first time we met._**

**_You mean I didn’t turn you on?_ **

**_Please. You wish._ **

Sam laughed. John looked on as if he were intruding on a private conversation. He cleared his throat and looked at Dean and Harmone.

“You said Sam saved your life?”

Dean nodded, “Well with Harmone’s help, but yeah. If he hadn’t recited the exorcism, we’d all still be stuck in there and who knows what those demons would’ve done.”

Harmone shook her head, “I was just the muscle. I mean when we approached Sam was already starting to say the exorcism.”

John frowned, “But I thought he doesn’t talk.”

Dean sighed, “He’s deaf dad. That means he can’t here. He can still talk, he just doesn’t like too. But you really think he’s just going to hang there and wait for someone to rescue him? That’s not Sammy.”

Sam smiled at Dean and Dean chuckled, ruffling his hair. John sat down and frowned.

“These demons are really up to something.”

Dean chuckled, “Or maybe they’re just being stupid, annoying demons doing what they do best. Wreak havoc on the world.”

Bobby nodded, “John could be right. I mean think about it. A demon killed your mother, Harmone’s mother, and now they kidnapped Sam.”

Sam looked up and tugged on Dean’s shirt. Dean frowned, “What Sammy?”

**_The demon said something to me. He said something about us causing them a lot of trouble and how it’s about to end. He wanted me, you and dad, but I don’t know why._ **

“It’s okay Sammy,” Dean said before translating what Sam said.

“Something tells me that this has to do with the demon that killed your mother,” John spoke.

Harmone shook her head and slipped off the chair, “Sam, wanna help me cook dinner and let these boys do their thing?”

Sam nodded and followed Harmone into Bobby’s kitchen. After a minute Bobby frowned, “Hey, don’t go touching stuff in my kitchen! I got things that aren’t food in there!” he yelled, running after them.

John glanced at his oldest and saw Dean watching the others in the kitchen and knew that he wouldn’t be getting anything into him. John walked over to his side and watched the scene in the kitchen. No words were spoken between the three but there was plenty of laughter as they cooked and teased each other. Just like a real family.

After a minute Dean sighed, “Sam’s a good kid dad. One of these days you’re going to see it but it will be too late.”

Dean then walked into the kitchen leaving John to ponder over what that meant.

**TBC...**


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *waves* hey guys! I'm so sorry for leaving you hanging for so long. It's been crazy stressful. I'm planning to go back to college to get my Master's Degree and I was so busy trying to get everything in before I go on vacation. So as a reward for making you guys wait instead of 3 chapters here's 5 chapters

Harmone opened her eyes, frowning. She wasn't sure what had woken her up. She looked at her cell and saw that it was three in the morning. She sighed and stretched, having learned long ago that she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep. She stood and went on poking her head in each room checking on the occupants. Much like how she did to her mother for several years. She smiled as she stood in her father's door watching him sleep. She couldn't believe that she had finally found her father after all these years. She may have lost one parent, but in exchange she gained another. She continued checking in the rooms and frowned when John's was empty. She descended the stairs and saw why.

"Going somewhere John?" she asked quietly.

John spun around, frowning at Harmone, "Yeah. I gotta go."

Harmone cocked her head, "Why?"

John sighed, "Another hunter called seeking my help with his hunt."

"Liar."

John shook his head, "Fine. I don't belong here. And its time I finally get that through my head. Those boys don't need me."

Harmone chuckled, "Yes they do John, but what they need is a father, not a drill sergeant. Sam needs someone who loves him and treats him like a kid despite his disability. He has Dean but it's not enough. He lost his mother at a very young age. Never knew her. And now you're going to make him lose his other parent too? Dean, while he's tough and very protective, he still needs his dad. He needs someone to help him when he gets stuck. Or to help him with Sam."

Harmone swallowed and ran a hand through her hair, "They're still young and they will always need you. Just not in the way that you think they need you. They don't need you to shove orders down their throat. Tell me something, when was the last time you gave either one of them a hug? Not like a hug saying good job on beheading that vamp kinda hug. A hug to say I love you. Have you ever told them that? They need to hear it you know."

John shook his head, "That's what Bobby's for. I…I can't. Not until I find and get rid of Mary's killer."

Harmone shook her head, "Then I feel sorry for you. At least, you should tell them you're leaving and why. They deserve that much."

"They'll be fine," John said opening the front door.

Harmone sighed, shaking her head. Her inner ear twitched and she smiled sadly, "How long have you been there?"

Bobby walked down the stairs, "Since I heard you come down."

Harmone turned and looked at her father, "What do we do?"

Bobby sighed, "We tell those boys the truth. They deserve nothing less. Now, why are you awake this early?"

Harmone averted her eyes and shrugged, "I don't know. Just couldn't sleep I guess."

Bobby eyed her and put a hand on her shoulder, "I think you do know. Something tells me this isn't the first time it's happened."

Harmone shrugged out from under his touch, "What does it matter?"

"It matters because I want to help you."

Harmone scoffed, "Oh that's rich. Where were you all those years I needed you? Huh?!" She shouted, eyes filling with tears.

Bobby pulled her into his arms, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. I'm here now," he just kept whispering these words over and over again as Harmone broke down and sobbed.

After what felt like forever, but really was probably only ten minutes, Harmone lifted her head, "I'm sorry."

Bobby smiled, "Don't be. Sometimes we all need a good cry and something tells me you've needed that for a long time."

Harmone blushed slightly.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

When Sam and Dean woke the next morning they found Harmone and Bobby in the kitchen laughing and cooking breakfast.

_**Good morning sleepy heads. You're just in time for breakfast.** _

Sam smiled.  _ **Well this certainly isn't something you see every day. Bobby? Smiling? I thought for sure he'd remain one of the grumpy old men forever.**_

Bobby narrowed his eyes.  _ **Watch it boy. I ain't above beating your ass.**_

Sam laughed. Dean smiled and went to pour himself a cup of coffee as they all sat down. It was then that Sam noticed his father wasn't there.

_**Where's dad?** _

Both Harmone and Bobby sighed. Dean frowned.

"What is it?"

"I'm sorry. I tried to make him stay," Harmone spoke softly and slowly.

Sam slumped. Bobby reached over and put a hand on his shoulder, "Sam."

Sam looked up at him with tears in his eyes.  _ **He left because of me.**_

"Oh Sam," Harmone sighed. "I wish I could say that he didn't. He just felt that his quest for your mother's killer was more important…"

"Than his sons," Dean finished.

"He's a damn idjit is what he is."

Sam put his head down and appeared to be crying. Dean put a hand on Sam's shoulder, "Hey," he said, tapping Sam's cheek.

Sam shook his head and refused to look at Dean. Dean sighed and lifted his brother's face, "Hey. It's okay. You know why?"

Sam shook his head after a minute. Dean smiled, "What have I always told you? It's you and me against the world. Dad doesn't feel we're good enough for him, that's his problem."

Sam shook his head.  _ **He doesn't think I'm good enough. He knows that if I wasn't around, you'd easily be the son he wants. But he also knows that you won't leave me. That's why he left. I mean nothing to him. You mean everything.**_

Sam pushed himself away from the table and headed up to his room. Dean went to follow but Bobby stopped him, "Give him some space."

Dean sighed, "I could just kill dad. It's not fair the way he treats Sam."

Bobby nodded, "I know son."

Dean shook his head, "He already lost mom. I mean he barely knew mom. If it wasn't for pictures, he wouldn't know what she looked like. Now he has to lose his father because of something stupid?"

"He still has you," Harmone smiled.

"Yeah but it shouldn't be all he has. It's not enough."

"Well you have to make it enough. Something tells me John won't get that stick out his ass anytime soon. Besides, while yes, he needs a father and it would be good for him to have a father figure in his life, you, Dean are the most important person in his life. That boy looks up to you like no other. You've raised that kid and he doesn't take anything you told him or taught him for granted," Bobby sipped his coffee.

Dean scratched his head. It was something he did when he was nervous or blushing or insecure, "Really?"

Bobby nodded, "Really."

Dean thought about that for a moment before heading upstairs to the room he and Sam shared. He found Sam cross legged in the middle of his bed looking at a book. Sam lifted his head and gave him some half smile. Dean chuckled and sat next to him and pointed to the book.

Sam lifted it and showed him the book. It was The Catcher and the Rye. Dean laughed.

"Only you would be reading a pansy book like that."

Sam pouted.  _ **It's not pansy.**_

Dean chuckled, "Okay, fine. Hey Sam?"

Sam shook his head, "I'm fine."

Dean just looked pointedly at him. Sam sighed.  _ **Fine. I'm not okay, but I will be. I mean I just have to learn to accept that no matter what I do or did it was never good enough for dad. And I just have to be okay with that. Besides, I have you. You're my everything Dean. Not dad.**_

Dean flushed. Something not many people have seen him do, "I love you Sam. You're my…world. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't in it. And if Dad had dumped you somewhere and dragged me to stay with him I'd be the most miserable person ever."

Sam chuckled. Dean grinned, "It's true. Because without you I'm nothing."

Sam grinned wide as he read Dean's lips and hugged him tight. Dean hugged him back.

_**We done being women now?** _

Sam cracked up and nodded.  _ **So what now?**_

Dean sighed, shaking his head. He had no idea, but whatever they chose they would do it together.

**TBC...**


	16. Chapter 16

A week passed and neither brother brought up John once. Nor did he call and check on them. Not that they thought he would. Harmone and Bobby were careful not to mention him either. The one time Bobby accidentally mentioned something about John, Dean got tense and Sam would get so sullen and proceed to lock himself in the room for a long time. So now, they just didn't mentioned John.

Dean came in from the junkyard where he was working on a car for Bobby, wiping his hands on a rag and grabbed a beer before checking on his brother who was glued to the laptop in the living room. He took a long drag of the beer and settled in next to Sam.

 _ **Whatcha doing?**_  He asked after attaining his brother's attention.

Sam smiled.  _ **I may have found a hunt.**_

Dean blinked.  _ **Yeah?**_

Sam nodded and pointed to the screen where he was reading. Dean scooted closer and read. He chewed his bottom lip. He looked at his brother who was looking at him expectedly.

_**We should show this to Bobby and Harmone.** _

Sam nodded. He wrinkled his nose.  _ **You smell.**_

Dean laughed, "Well I was under a car all day."

Sam exaggerated his words by fanning his nose.  _ **Go shower. You totally reek.**_

Dean shook his head and grabbed his brother in a chokehold and waved his armpits over Sam. Sam squealed, "Stop."

Dean shook his head, "You will suffer the wrath of smelly king!"

Sam giggled and wiggled, trying to free himself from his idiotic brother, "Get. Off."

It was then that Harmone walked into the room. She smiled at the sight of Dean teasing his brother. It kinda made her wish she had siblings. It was something nice to watch. That despite all the hunting and killing they may have to do, they were just kids and deserved to act like it.

"Harmone!"

Harmone looked at Dean, "What?"

"Care to help me tickle Sam to death?"

Harmone chuckled, "No thanks. I'm good."

Dean looked at Sam who nodded. Suddenly Harmone squealed like a pig as she was chased and tickled by the Winchester brothers.

"Leave me alone!"

"Never. You can't escape us," Dean laughed.

Eventually they trapped Harmone and Sam sat on her as they boys tickled her. Soon it turned into a tickle battle. Who could tickle the other the longest without getting kicked. None of them noticed Bobby standing in the doorway just watching them. Harmone, who was laughing so hard was the first one to notice him but she couldn't stop laughing.

"Having fun?"

Sam grinned as he sat up and swung his legs off Dean. He cleared his throat and went to his computer. He showed Bobby what he had shown Dean earlier. Bobby blinked and frowned.

_**I think it's worth checking out. I wanna leave outta here in twenty minutes. It's roughly a twenty hour drive from here to Corpus Christi. Get your things and haul ass. Yes Sam, that means you too.** _

Sam blinked. Thinking he misinterpreted Bobby wrong. Sure Bobby wasn't telling him to come along. Dean chuckled, ruffling Sam's hair, "Come on Sammy. We don't want Bobby to leave us."

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

It took the entire twenty hours and three driver changes before the group was finally pulling into Corpus Christi. Harmone pulled up to the first motel she found that had a vacancy. Bobby left to check them in while the others unloaded the impala. He came back with two keys.

"Unfortunately they only had two rooms. Harmone, I figured you'd want your own room."

Harmone shrugged, "I don't mind sharing."

Bobby nodded and split the rooms between Sam and Dean and him and Harmone. This gave him an excuse to actually spend time and get to know his daughter. Dean frowned as he saw Sam seem to relax. He tapped Sam's cheek and Sam turned to him.

_**Dude, you really think I'd leave you alone? With them of all people?** _

Sam shook his head.

_**Of course not. It's my job to look out for you.** _

After they took the bags to the rooms, Sam and Dean met Bobby and Harmone in their room to discuss the case. Sam was just extremely excited to be helping. Sure he helped with research and stuff on their other hunts but Bobby made it a point to actively include Sam.

"I'd like Harmone to take Sam and talk to some of the locals while Dean, you and I go to the ME."

Sam frowned and looked at them, "How?" he asked softly.

"Well you could sign and Harmone could translate or you could use your voice which I know you hate doing," Bobby smiled as he spoke and signed at the same time.

Sam hesitated and looked at Dean. Dean smiled and ruffled his hair, "You'll be fine kiddo. Do what feels comfortable to you."

Sam chewed his lip, "But…"  _ **I'm so young. I doubt anyone would talk to a kid.**_

Bobby chuckled, "You'd be surprised, Sam. Just give it a try okay?"

Sam nodded. He didn't want to let them all down.

Sometime later, Bobby dropped Harmone and Sam at the local park and he and Dean went to the Medical Examiner's office.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

John sat in his motel room in some nameless town after a hunt had turned out to be a false alarm. He thought about what he had said to Harmone in Bobby's house and he shook his head. John Winchester was anything but a quitter. He was determined to prove what a little shit Sam was and get Dean to come back. The only thing was, how? How could he separate his boys? If it was one thing, John was anything but determined.

**TBC...**


	17. Chapter 17

Sam and Harmone approached a young woman walking the path with her dog. She stopped when Sam smiled sweetly at her, "What can I do for you young ones?"

_**We're reporters from World Weekly News and we're talking to different people about the strange happenings that have been going on in this town.** _

Harmone translated as he signed. The woman blinked. It appeared that she was shocked to see a reporter who spoke sign language.

"Um, but, you're so young."

Harmone giggled, "We appreciate the compliment ma'am. So what can you tell us about what's been happening in this town?"

The woman frowned, looked around and whispered, "Aliens."

Sam blinked.  _ **Aliens? What makes you say that?**_

The woman didn't speak. She motioned for Sam and Harmone to follow her. She led them to a patch of grass in the park. Sure enough there was a marking that looked like it could've been made from an UFO. Harmone took a picture with her phone.

_**When did you notice this alien mark?** _

The woman frowned, "Hm, let me think. If I remember correctly, it was Friday. Juanita here was barking up a storm and when I let her loose, she led me to this. The next day I heard that Martin, the son of the barber Jimmy had gone missing sometime in the night."

Harmone chewed her lip, "Well thank you ma'am and if you remember anything, just give me a call," she said writing down her cell number.

The woman took the paper and went on her way. Sam and Harmone looked at each other. Sam blinked.

_**Aliens?** _

Harmone chuckled, "Guess so."

Sam frowned and looked at that marking in the grass again. Harmone looked at him. She tapped his cheek gently like she saw Dean do when he wanted his attention. Sam looked up at her.

_**What's wrong?** _

_**I've seen this mark before but I just don't know where I've seen it.** _

_**Well when we get back to the motel you can do your geek boy thing.** _

Sam laughed.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

The Medical Examiner shook her head at Dean and Bobby, "I don't know what to say. Out of all the children that had been missing he's the only one we found and he's all messed up."

Dean blinked, "When you say all the children that have gone missing…"

The ME looked at him, "At least fifteen children have all gone missing within the span of four days. This one, Martin, was the first and he's the only one we found."

"How messed up are we talking?" Bobby asked.

The ME turned on a screen, "Whatever this poor boy was exposed to, it liquefied his insides. Completely."

"Oh that's gross," Dean grimaced.

"Anything else?" Bobby asked.

The ME frowned, "Like what?"

Bobby shrugged, "Missing organs, strange markings? Anything."

The ME shook her head, "Well, there were no missing organs as far as I could tell but it was pretty hard because of all his insides turned to liquid, but, I did find this," she said turning back to the boy on the table and carefully turned him to expose his back. Dean frowned and took a picture of the mark.

"Thanks doc," he said.

Bobby and Dean walked out, "Dean let me see that?"

Dean handed over his phone and saw Bobby frown, "What?"

"I feel like I've seen this before but I'm not sure where I've seen it or what it stands for."

"Well we can show it Sam. He may be able to figure it out."

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Nearly everyone they talked to said that it was either aliens or some kind of demon that took the children. Harmone and Sam headed back to the motel and Sam booted up his laptop and got straight to work on trying to decipher that marking. When Dean and Bobby returned, they explained their findings, which made Harmone want to puke, and showed Sam the marking and he nodded.

_**It was in the field that we went to. I swear I know I've seen it before I don't know where.** _

"Do you have any idea as to what it is?" Dean asked.

Sam shook his head.  _ **Not yet but I'm working on it.**_

Dean chuckled and left Sam to it. He and Bobby frowned when Harmone suddenly sat up and her eyes seemed to change.

"Harmone?"

"John," was all she said before there were three sharp raps on the motel room door.

Dean glanced over at Sam who seemed to be immersed in his research before looking at Bobby who shrugged. Bobby went and opened the door.

"John."

"Bobby."

Bobby snorted, "Last time I saw you, you were running away. Fancy you being here."

"Well I distinctly remember someone telling me a man doesn't run from his problems."

Sam, who had been oblivious to the entire thing, grinned and stood up to run over to Dean when he froze in his tracks as he saw his father. He immediately backed up and moved closer to Dean.

"What's the matter Sammy, you not happy to see your old man?" John grinned wickedly as he approached his youngest.

Dean moved so that he was blocking Sam from his father, "I'd back up if I were you."

John chuckled, "Or what? He's still my son and I'm still his dad."

Sam whimpered. He didn't like the look on his father's face. He looked at Dean. Dean shook his head, "Fucking some chick til she gets pregnant may make you father but it doesn't make you a dad. Just because he has your DNA doesn't mean shit and I told you before you harm one hair on his head and I'll shoot you. You don't know how to treat your son the way he needs to be treated by his "dad" then you need to get the hell out and never look back or you'll see me with a loaded shotgun at the back of your head."

Sam frowned before he took a breath and walked over to John and did something he never did in front of anyone but Dean and now Harmone. He spoke. It was soft but he spoke.

"I know I'm not the typical son you hoped for, and I'm sorry but I didn't ask to be born like this. I don't know why you're blaming me for things that aren't my fault. It wasn't my fault that I was born deaf and it wasn't my fault that mom died."

John slapped Sam across his face, "Don't you fucking mention her you bastard!"

Dean moved toward his father and Sam but Sam stopped him and kept talking like nothing happened.

"I know I've made some mistakes but everyone makes mistakes and how will I learn if you don't teach me? All I'm asking is for you to give me a chance. I can be a great hunter. Just give me a chance."

Faster than anyone anticipated, the sound of a gun went off and Sam was lying on the floor not moving. Bobby and Harmone rushed to Sam's side while Dean attacked his father. No one hurt Sam and got away with it. Not on his watch. He continuously punched his father with as much rage as he could muster, which was a lot, until Harmone carefully pulled him away.

"Dean, we need to get Sam to the hospital."

Dean nodded, landed a round-house kick to his father, knocking him down on the floor and went to his brother.

"Don't worry Sammy, I'm here. Gonna take care of you," he said as they headed to the impala.

Dean got in the back while Bobby drove and Harmone took the passenger seat, "Drive fast," Dean said his voice not above a whisper.

**TBC...**


	18. Chapter 18

"The good news is that the bullet didn't hit his heart which would've instantly killed Sam. However, since I didn't see an exit wound, we know the bullet is still lodged behind his heart. So our options are to do surgery to remove the bullet, or leave the bullet inside."

"Do you know if the bullet is fully intact?" Bobby asked.

The doctor furrowed his brow, "I'm not one hundred percent sure but, from what I can tell, it is possible that it is fully intact."

"So that could make for an easy removal, right?"

The doctor sighed, "Yes and no. Because of the fact that the bullet is behind his heart, if we do surgery we have to be extremely careful because at worse, it can kill him. At best it can damage a nerve."

Bobby looked over to where Dean was sitting holding his brother's hand, "Dean? You listenin'?"

Dean blinked and looked up, "Huh? Yeah."

Bobby sighed, "So what do you want the doctor to do?"

Dean swallowed. He had never made a decision like this for Sam's life before. He wanted to have the doctor remove the bullet but what if Sam died? He'd never forgive himself. But what if he had pain from the bullet being inside him? He'd never forgive himself then either. He sighed and wiped a hand over his face and looked at both the doctor and Bobby. They were waiting patiently knowing that this was a hard decision to make.

"Do it. Do the surgery," he said after a while.

The doctor nodded, "I'll schedule it. Hopefully I'll be able to get the Operating Room sometime today if not it'll have to be tomorrow," he said and left.

After the doctor left Dean looked at Bobby and Harmone, "You guys should finish the hunt. I mean there are still kids that are missing."

Harmone shook her head, "We're not going anywhere Dean. We're family. We stick together."

Dean gave her a small smile before turning his attention on his unconscious brother, "Don't worry Sammy, we're going to get you all better. You'll be as good as new. And then, I'll murder John for shooting you."

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

The doctor returned early the next morning to take Sam to the operating room. Unfortunately, Dean was not allowed to be in the room so he stayed in the waiting room with Bobby and Harmone pacing back and forth.

"Son, I know you're worried but you're going to burn a hole in the floor. Sit down and relax."

Dean sighed and sat down. He hated not being near his brother and he wondered how much longer this operation was going to take. He was so deep in his thoughts that he jumped when a hand touched his shoulder. He blinked and saw it was only Harmone.

"Hey come on; let's go get something from the cafeteria while we wait."

Dean frowned. He didn't want to leave in case the doctor came out, but his stomach grumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten all day so far. He sighed and reluctantly followed Harmone to the elevators.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

When they returned Bobby was reading a magazine. Dean sat down and before he could open his mouth and ask, Bobby glanced at him and shook his head. Dean sighed. Just then the doctor came into the waiting room and Dean jumped to his feet. He tried not to freak out at all the blood that was covering the doctor's coat and gloves.

"Well?"

The doctor smiled, "We were successfully able to remove the bullet without causing Sam anymore damage. So all that's left is for him to wake up. He will have a nasty scar on his chest for a while so I can prescribe some cream that might help with the itching."

Dean nodded, "Thanks."

The doctor nodded, "I'll have a nurse come get you once we settle Sam back into his room."

Several minutes later the three were being led into Sam's room by a nurse, "Let me know if you need anything," she said, winking at Dean.

Dean flashed his flirty smile, "Thanks sweetheart."

The nurse giggled and walked out of the room. Harmone and Bobby rolled their eyes. As soon as the nurse was gone though, Dean made a beeline for his bed. He sat in the chair next to his brother and held his hand. He gently stroked his brother's cheek before signing something on his arm.

_**I'm here Sammy. Right here Sammy. Never leaving you.** _

Sam remained silent and still. Dean sighed and settled in to wait for him to wake up.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Back in the motel room John opened his eyes and cursed. They were gone. He hoped that little brat died. Who gave him the right to talk to him about Mary? Sniveling and whining about how it wasn't his fault. If it wasn't his fault Mary would be alive right now. He cursed Bobby and the others for protecting him. Dean was his and he could care less about that whiny brat. He had known the minute they found out Sam was deaf and brought him home he would be trouble for them. Always crying and sniveling and needing help with every little thing. From what John remembered, and he remembered a lot, Dean hadn't caused them that much trouble as an infant. And it was worse when Mary died.

John pulled himself up off the floor with determination. He was determined to get Dean back by any means necessary. He groaned as he pulled out his cell and first contemplated calling Jim but he knew Jim would never do what he was going to ask. So he dialed Drew.

" _John?"_

"Hey Drew. Listen I'm sorry for calling you so late but I need a favor."

" _Anything John you know that."_

"It's Sam."

" _Sam? Your youngest? What about him?"_

"If you happen to cross his path I want you to kill him. And anyone that stands in your way. Except Dean. You can injure Dean but I need him alive."

John heard Drew gasp,  _"John…he's your son."_

"No he's not. He's murderer. He's the reason Mary's dead. He's the reason Caleb's dead and if I had left him alone, he would've killed Dean too."

" _I don't know John. This is pretty extreme."_

"Just do it Drew. You owe me."

" _Yeah but killing your son?"_

"Do I need to remind you why you owe me?"

John heard Drew sigh,  _"Fine."_

John grinned, "Good boy."

He hung up the phone and headed out of the motel room. He decided to check the local hospitals and check on Sam's status. Hopefully that bullet penetrated his heart and killed him.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam blinked and looked around confused. Where was he? What happened? Where was Dean? He lifted his head a little and saw his brother knocked out with his head on the bed. He smiled. And continued to look around. He saw Harmone curled up in one chair reading and Bobby was in another chair passed out. He shifted and Dean immediately woke up and smiled.

"Hey," he mouthed. "How are you feeling?"

Sam blinked and shifted before signing.  _ **What happened?**_

Dean blinked, "Sam," he spoke softly. "You were shot."

Sam's eyes went wide.  _ **Shot?! Who shot me? Am I dead?**_

Dean chuckled, causing Harmone to look over and smile, "Well look whose back to the land of the living. Are you okay?"

Sam shook his head.  _ **Who shot me?**_

Harmone and Dean looked at each other before turning back to Sam. Dean sighed, "Dad."

Sam's eyes filled with tears and spilled over. He cried loud broken sobs which made Bobby wake up. Before he could ask what was wrong though his cell rang and he left the room to answer it. Dean sat up on the bed next to Sam and pulled him close rubbing his back.

Harmone frowned when her father walked back in the room, "What is it?"

"A hunter named Drew. He just got a call from John."

Dean looked up, "And?"

"John told him that if he was ever to cross paths with Sam, he was to kill him and anyone who stood in his way. Except for you."

Dean jerked back in shock, "What on earth has gotten into this man? This goes beyond his normal level of hatred of Sam."

Bobby shrugged, "I don't know Dean, but it's time to put this state in the rearview. Of course as soon as they discharge Sam."

Dean glanced at Sam and nodded.

**TBC...**


	19. Chapter 19

The group headed back to Bobby's, after Sam was discharged the next day, knowing that it probably wasn't a good idea, but they also knew that should John try and come, they'd be protected. When they got to the house Dean took care of Sam and Harmone helped her father in upping the protection.

"Why would John want to kill his own son?" Harmone asked.

Bobby sighed, "I wish I knew sweetheart. John is a troubled and broken man. He hasn't been right in the head since Mary died."

Harmone nodded, "Sam and Dean's mother. The one John blames Sam for."

Bobby nodded, "Yeah. From the way John tells it, she was the love of his life."

Harmone shook her head, "So what? Blaming your son for her death because she died in his nursery? Blaming him so much that he wants him dead? That's just plain idiotic."

Bobby just shrugged.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

"It's not fair, Dean."

Dean sighed as he applied the cream to Sam's chest and shook his head, "I know."

"All I was asking for is a chance. Why does dad hate me?"

"I wish I knew Sammy. I mean you're the best person I know. Better than me. And the kindest. It just doesn't seem right."

Sam's eyes filled with tears, "He shot me. My own…" he swallowed the lump of tears in his throat. "My own father shot me. What father shoots his son?"

Dean sighed. He decided to tell Sam about what Drew said.  _ **Sammy, I don't know if you remember a hunter named Drew, but he called while we were in the hospital. John called him and told him that if he was to cross paths with you to kill you. And I'm sure he's told a bunch of other hunters too spinning some lie.**_

Sam's eyes widened and the tears spilled over.  _ **He hates me that much? He really wants me dead?**_

Dean nodded, "Yeah. I just…wish I knew why. I mean, this goes beyond normal hatred. None of it makes any sense."

Sam put his head down before he glanced at his brother with wide eyes.  _ **He wants me out of the way. He knows that the only way you'll be free to go to him is if I'm not around.**_

_**Well that's not happening. I'm not going to let anyone hurt you Sammy. I promise.** _

After Dean applied the cream, Sam lay down and promptly fell asleep. Dean sighed, running his finger through his hair.

"How is he?" Harmone asked softly.

"Devastated. I don't blame him. It's not fair."

Harmone shook her head, "Nope. And it sucks. I just wish I knew what to do."

Dean looked up at her, "You and me both. I'm supposed to protect him. How can I protect him from his own father?"

Harmone had no answer.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

John had gotten off the phone with a few other hunters, giving them some sob story that he figured some would believe and some wouldn't. He also knew the ones that knew the boys, especially Jim, would have a hard time following through with killing Sam. John shook his head; he knew that sooner or later, he'd have to be the one to do it. He'd have to kill his own son. Of course, it wasn't like he'd have a problem doing it. Every time he looked at Sam all he saw was his wife's murderer so it wouldn't be hard at all for John.

Logically, John knew that Sam didn't  _actually_ kill Mary, but if the demon hadn't been in his nursery, hadn't been…doing what he was doing to Sam, then Mary wouldn't have gone in there and she wouldn't have been killed. But still, she died in his nursery, on his ceiling right above the crib. So, John gathered his things, first Sam and then the demon.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

When Sam awoke he found himself alone. Yawning, he went in search of his brother and found him sitting at the kitchen table across from Harmone as they cleaned weapons. Sam rubbed his eyes and softly padded over to Dean and wormed his way onto his brother's lap the same thing he always did when he was younger and was distressed. For some reason sitting on his big brother's lap made him feel better. He didn't care that he was eleven years on in the lap of a fifteen year old nor did he care that Harmone was watching him.

Dean didn't mind. He had a feeling that when Sam woke up he'd be like this. It was his normal reaction. He kissed the top of Sam's head and went back to cleaning the gun he was working on. He saw Harmone watching them and he gave a slight shake of his head as if to tell her not to mention it. Harmone nodded and went back to the weapon she was cleaning. After a few minutes, he stroked Sam's arm to get his attention.

"Hungry?"

Sam shook his head. Dean sighed but nodded. Sam continued to stay that way even when Dean was done cleaning the weapons. Even when Bobby came in the kitchen, did he not move from his brother's lap.

Dean looked at Sam, "Hey, wanna go for a walk?"

Sam hesitated. Dean frowned, "What's wrong?"

_**What if dad's out there waiting for me?** _

Dean stroked his brother's hair, "Then I'll protect you. You trust me to protect you right?"

Sam nodded.  _ **But Dean…**_

Dean looked at Bobby before he shifted his brother in his lap to look at him as he signed.  _ **Sammy, I've told you before it's you and me against the world. If it happens that I have to kill dad then I will. Nothing and I mean nothing, will harm you so long as I'm around. Understand?**_

Sam nodded. Sam slid off Dean's lap and went to grab his jacket. When he came back Dean smiled and they headed out the door.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

John made a couple more calls while he was on the road. He had a feeling that seeing as it was Thanksgiving and all Sam and Dean would go to Bobby's and when he made his final call it was confirmed. He headed to South Dakota figuring it would be the perfect time to take Sam out as it would only be the four of them including Bobby's daughter.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

When Dean brought Sam back to the house he was only slightly shocked to find it full of people. That's when he remembered it was Thanksgiving. Sam looked at him expectedly.

_**Bobby invited some people over for Thanksgiving.** _

Sam nodded and said he was going to take a shower. Dean nodded and headed to the kitchen.

"Bobby?"

Bobby looked up from where he was basting the turkey, "Hey Dean. Surprised?"

Dean nodded, "Yeah but I think Sam is more surprised. Who are all these people?"

Bobby chuckled, "We'll wait for Sam and I'll introduce you both."

Dean nodded again and went to check on his brother. Several minutes later Dean was walking downstairs with Sam and they bumped into someone.

"Sorry," Dean mumbled.

"Nonsense son. I should've been looking where I was going."

Dean looked up and frowned. The guy looked slightly familiar, but he wasn't sure if he had met him before. The guy stuck out his hand.

"William Harvelle. Most everyone calls me Bill though. I hunted with your dad a few times."

Dean shook his hand, "Nice to meet you. This is Sam."

Bill nodded and then pointed, "Nice to meet you Sam. That over there is my wife Ellen and our twelve year old daughter Jo."

Dean nodded and translated to Sam who smiled and nodded.

"There you two are," Jim grinned as he strode up to Dean and Sam with a soda in his hand. "Come here I want you two to meet someone. Sorry Bill."

Bill shook his head and smiled as Jim strode the two boys away from him. Jim brought him over to the couch where a young African-American woman sat.

"Sam, Dean, this here is Missouri Mosley."

The woman smiled, "Wow. John Winchester's boys. Look at you. I've only seen pictures of you two and I must say they do not do you justice."

Dean had been translating everything Missouri was saying and when he finished Sam blushed and gave her a dimpled grin. She was about to say more but just then Bobby called them all to dinner. Sam's eyes bugged out of his head. He had never seen so much food. There was turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, gravy, cornbread, collard greens and some other little sides. He looked at Dean and Dean laughed and ruffled his hair.

As everyone sat down, Bobby said grace while Dean translated and then Bill carved the turkey. It wasn't until everyone got full plates that Bobby spoke.

"I'm sure you all are wondering why I invited you here besides for it being Thanksgiving. I don't know how much you all know, or if you had talked with John, Jim I know you have."

Ellen frowned, "Bobby, what's going on?"

It was Dean who spoke next, "Dad wants to kill Sammy."

Gasps were heard around the table and Dean continued, "We're not really sure why. He just…ever since we found out that Sam was deaf, he developed a hatred for him and just felt him useless, but after mom died…I don't know he went off his rocker. He blamed Sam for mom's death, he blamed him for my near death accident with a werewolf and he beat him senseless for Caleb's death despite none of it being his fault. Every time I asked him about it he would say that he's useless, but when he forced Sam to live with Pastor Jim, oh man, this boy worked this skinwalker hunt so well, but dad just couldn't see it. And…" Dean paused.

Bill put a hand on his shoulder, "Its okay son."

"The last hunt we were on…Sam did something that made him brave and Dad…he…he shot Sam. Could've killed him."

Sam swallowed the lump of tears in his throat. He hated thinking about that night.

Missouri cleared her throat, "I wish I knew what was wrong with John. I mean when I told him about what had really killed Mary and what was really there in the dark…he changed. I don't know why he's taken such a hatred for Sam, but I will say this: We will stand behind you one hundred percent."

Everyone nodded their agreement. Dean eyed Missouri and got a bad feeling that she may know more than she led on but he didn't say anything as Sam pulled on his shirt.

"What Sammy?"

_**Harmone.** _

Dean glanced at Harmone. Her eyes had changed color and he could see her shifting slightly and he could tell her inner ears were turning, "Harmone?"

Harmone glanced at Dean, "John's here."

**TBC...**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So how are you all liking this story so far? Do you think John will ever change his evil ways? Accept Sam? Or will his evil ways be the death of him? I'm curious to know your thoughts.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I know. It's been FOREVER since I've updated. I sincerely apologize. So much has been going on in my life between getting a new job and writer's block and just so much. But these are the final chapters of the story.

John parked the car on the edge of Bobby’s property. The last thing he wanted was to signal his arrival. He walked silently to the house and peeked in the window. He was shocked to find so many people in the house. He slowly backed away in wait. He could remain hidden outside for a little while.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam immediately ran upstairs. The others called his name to come back.

“Sam, wait!”

“Sam!”

“Will you all shut the fuck up, he can’t hear you!” Dean shouted.

Harmone stood in the living room before opening the front door and took a look around cocking her head, “He’s still on the property somewhere. I can smell him.”

And in front of everyone, the girl became a jaguar. Some of the hunters were shocked. Harmone started outside but was stopped by Dean.

“Harmone no.”

The jaguar turned and looked at Dean while nodding her head outside. Dean shook his head, “We’ll take care of that. You go upstairs with Sam. Please.”

Ellen nudged her daughter toward the jaguar, “Take Jo too.”

“Mom, I can help.”

“Not today Jo. Go upstairs and keep Sam company.”

Jo huffed but eventually followed Harmone upstairs to Sam’s room. Harmone went to her room to change back and dress before she walked into the room Sam and Dean shared. Jo was seated on the bed and Sam was huddled in the corner.

“I tried calling him but he wouldn’t answer.”

Harmone blinked, “Seriously, do you not know that he’s deaf?”

She shook her head and walked over to Sam and knelt down before touching his knee. Sam jerked his head upright.

**_Hey. You okay?_ **

Sam looked at her. **_My dad has come to kill me. What do you think?_**

**_I’m sorry but you know that’s not going to happen right? We won’t let it._ **

Sam just sighed and hugged himself tighter.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

“So what’s the plan?” Bill asked.

“Keep John away from Sam. By any means necessary,” Dean explained.

“Yeah but we need a plan. We can’t run into this halfcocked. Remember he knows the same things we all know.”

“They’re right son,” Bobby said. “John will be expecting us to act reckless so we need to be prepared and act strategically.”

Dean blinked and was about to speak when the doorbell interrupted him. Jim went and opened the door, “John.”

“Jim. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to see you here.”

“What do you want John?”

“Figured the boys were here and I thought it would be a good idea to come and have Thanksgiving with them,” John said, lying through his teeth.

“Since when do you care?” Dean asked, stepping up to him.

“Since now. I forgot how important you boys were to me.”

“You said boys. You mean Sam too right?”

After a moment’s hesitation John nodded, “Yes.”

Dean was suddenly torn. He wanted not to believe his father. But it was hard. He sounded so sincere. Just then Sam came down the stairs. Jo and Harmone followed close behind. As soon as he caught sight of his father he froze.

“It’s alright Sam. I’m not going to hurt you. I had done some thinking about what you said. And you’re right. I need to give you a chance. I’m sorry for hurting you and I really want to try and be your father.”

Bobby and Jim immediately saw through John’s bullshit but Dean looked up at his father like he hung the moon or something. Sam cocked his head trying to understand everything that John was saying. Dean eventually translated to Sam and Sam looked up at his father with delight.

Jim looked at Bobby and Bobby could only shrug.

Eventually, they all went back to eating now with John at the table. After eating they cleaned up while Jo was trying to teach Sam how to play a game. Eventually, everyone left. As Bobby walked the others to the door he whispered in their ear and then shut the door behind them. He bid everyone goodnight and then he retired to bed. John was soon to follow leaving the boys and Harmone.

“Dean, I don’t trust him.”

“Harmone, I know. But I wanna give him a chance to see if he’s being truthful or not.”

Harmone nodded. She understood. Soon the three of them headed to bed.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

John lay in his bed wide awake as he waited for everyone to fall asleep. He figured he’d wait until they were dead asleep before taking Sam outside and putting him down like the animal he was. Once the time read midnight, John slowly made his way into the boys’ room. He was thankful then that his son was such a heavy sleeper. He’d just put him down and then put him back in his bed and make it look like he died in his sleep. He carried the sleeping boy downstairs and out the door.

What he didn’t count on was Harmone.


	21. Chapter 21

Harmone, in her jaguar form, tackled John which of course caused Sam to fall out of his arms. John rolled around was faced with a jaguar baring its teeth and several hunters with loaded guns pointed at him.  Sam woke up and immediately panicked. Bill went to touch him and try to get him to calm down but Sam flinched and immediately started running in the other direction.

Dean and Missouri both were woken up by the commotion and went outside. When Dean saw Sam running he bolted after him, grabbed him, and held him tight until he started to calm down.

“De?” Sam whispered so softly that Dean almost missed it.

“Hey, you’re okay. I gotcha. Let’s get you inside before you catch a cold.

Sam blinked and then his hands flew about wildly. To others it looked like he was just waving his hands. Dean chuckled and stilled his brother’s hands.

“Easy kiddo. I know. Come on let’s get you inside.”

Dean walked Sam to the house and Missouri took a hold of Sam’s hand, “I got him Dean. I’m sure you’ll want to take care of that,” she said nodding towards John.

Dean looked at his little brother. **_Missouri will help warm you up okay? I’m just gonna take care of this real quick and then I’ll be in._**

Sam nodded and followed Missouri inside. Dean waited until they had gone inside before he turned and walked over to the circle. John was desperately trying to weasel his way out of what he had been doing. If looks could kill, the look Dean was giving John right now would kill him instantly.

“Dean, you have to believe me, it honestly wasn’t what it looked like.”

Dean narrowed his eyes, “So you weren’t sneaking off into the night to kill Sam while he slept? I can’t believe anything you say to me.”

“Dean…” John shifted and he heard a few hunters cock their guns at him. “Dean, please.”

“WHAT?! What could you _possibly_ say to me that will make me believe a single word that comes out of your mouth? All my life I’ve listened to you, believed in what you said, but all it was lies and a way to manipulate us for your own good!”

“Dean, you have to understand. Sam is…”

Dean cocked his head, “Sam is what? Go on.”

John wiped his face, “Dean, there are things that you don’t know that involve Sam.”

“So tell me.”

John shook his head, “I don’t know everything yet but Sam isn’t who you think he is.”

Bill snorted, “That’s the dumbest thing I ever heard John. You’re just saying that because you never approved of the boy.”

John looked at Dean, “I went to Missouri and learned the truth.”

Dean blinked. He narrowed his eyes, “You always told me to protect Sam and that’s what I’m doing. You told me always shoot first, ask questions later, so come near Sam again and you’ll see just how well I’ve been listening.”

He told the others to back off. He then told Jim and Bill to make sure he leaves town. Then he headed inside to Sam and Missouri. Bobby glared at John.

“Get him off my property before I shoot his ass full of buckshot.”

The other hunters laughed.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Dean stood against the frame of the kitchen just watching his brother. He loved watching Sam and he hoped that he would never lose his innocence. Missouri soon made eye contact with him and Sam turned and grinned. Dean smiled back and walked over to him and ruffled his hair.

“Let’s head to bed.”

Sam cocked his head but nodded and deposited his cup in the sink, waved to Missouri and followed Dean up to bed.

 ** _What happened to dad?_** Sam asked as they lay in their beds.

**_Caleb and Bill are making sure he leaves town._ **

**_Dean, I’m scared. What if he comes back and tries again._ **

**_He won’t be stupid to try that again, not after Harmone nearly ripped him apart._ **

Sam nodded and yawned. Dean waited until he heard Sam’s breathing even out which signaled that he was asleep before heading downstairs to the kitchen. Missouri hadn’t moved.

“What do you know?” Dean asked, cutting right to the chase.

“Not much I’m afraid. I know you want answers, Dean and I wish I could give them to you but I can’t.”

Dean slammed his fist on the table, “John said that you told him the truth about Sam! So cut the bullshit and tell me what you know!”

Missouri glared at him before her expression softened, “Oh Dean,” she said, taking his hand in hers. “The demon that killed your mom,” she sighed. “All I know is that he’s after Sam, but I don’t think it’s only after Sam. It’s after others too, but I don’t know why. That’s all I know. I swear.”

“Why would a demon be after Sam?”

“I wish I knew, I really do and I’m sorry.”

Dean sighed and put his head in his hands. First his dad and now this?

**TBC...**


	22. Chapter 22

Several weeks later after the fiasco on Thanksgiving there hadn’t been any word from John. No one seemed to know where he was or what he was up to. The beginning of December found Sam, Dean, and Harmone in New York on a witch hunt.

“Ugh, why did I decide to come to New York?” Dean shivered, jacking up the heat in the motel room.

Harmone laughed, “What’s the matter Deano, too cold for you?”

Dean glared, “Don’t call me that.”

Sam sat on the bed watching them sadly. Sometimes, he hated being deaf.  Just once he’d like to hear his brother’s laugh. He also had a feeling that if he wasn’t deaf then John wouldn’t be so hostile to him. He shrugged, grabbing his jacket.

Dean spotted Sam and frowned. He walked over to him. **_Hey, you okay?_**

Sam nodded. **_Fine. I’m just taking a walk._**

Dean frowned, “Sam.”

“I’m…okay,” Sam whispered.

Dean frowned but let Sam go. He knew that if Sam was in trouble he’d text either him or Harmone with the new phone he bought him last week. Harmone frowned, putting a hand on Dean’s shoulder.

“Is he okay?”

Dean shook his head, “I think he’s feeling a little left out.”

“Sorry.”

Dean shook his head, “No, I don’t think it was anything you did. Honestly, I think everything’s just really having a big effect on him especially when people are talking and he can’t hear what they’re saying.”

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam stuck his hands in his pocket his left hand curling tightly around his cellphone. The one Dean bought for him last week. He told Dean that he was okay but in reality, he wasn’t. He was far from okay. He knew that Dean was probably getting tired of dealing with him and he just felt that it would be better if he left.

Apparently Sam wasn’t looking where he was going and bumped into someone, “Sorry,” he said so softly that he was sure the other person didn’t hear him.

When he looked up he saw that the man was staring intently at him which he didn’t like. Suddenly the man spoke and he tried to follow along to his words.

“Where’s big brother? Sam Winchester all alone? Tsk, tsk.”

Sam whimpered and backed up as the man flashed his black eyes, “Where you off to in such a hurry?”

Sam ran back toward the motel and pulled out his phone and texted: _Dean, help._ He didn’t look how close the demon was as he hoped he could get back to the motel. He tripped on the edge of the sidewalk causing him to fall. This gave the demon the opening he needed. He grabbed Sam and stuck a needle in his neck as he began to struggle.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Just as Dean started to worry about Sam he got a text. His blood ran cold when he saw the text and using the GPS on his phone to track Sam, he turned to Harmone.

“Sam’s in trouble. We gotta go.”

Harmone didn’t ask any questions. She grabbed her jacket, “Let’s go.”

No words were spoken as Dean drove to the location of where Sam was. Dean prayed that he would get there in time to save his brother.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

“Sam, well its finally good to see you again. You’ve grown wonderfully.”

Sam frowned as the demon came close and he tried to read his lips. He whimpered and struggled against the invisible bonds. The demon laughed.

“Try as you might you won’t get free. Do you know who I am?”

After a minute of processing, Sam swallowed, “You killed my mom,” he said softly.

“Yes and that was quite unfortunate. She knew better to get in my way, but in the end she couldn’t do it. She was supposed to let me have you and at the last minute she changed her mind.”

Sam blinked. What was he talking about? He only managed to catch a little of what he was saying and it just left him confused.

Azazel smirked, “Oh you poor boy, you don’t do you?”

“Know what?”

“The truth. Your father knows, why do you think he’s trying to kill you?”

Sam’s eyes widened, “No.”

Azazel chuckled, “Oh Sam, relax. But let me let you in on a little secret, you won’t have a choice. Thanks to the demon blood you have inside you.”

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Dean was pissed. They found Sam’s phone but no Sam.

“I’m sure he can’t be far,” Harmone said. “Why don’t I get out and do a little sniffing around?”

Dean glanced at her. He didn’t want them separating but she had a point. He pulled the car over and nodded. Harmone reached in the back on the floor where she kept her travel bag for when she shifted and jumped out of the car.

“I’ll call you the minute I find something.”

Dean raised an eyebrow at her and she chuckled. “Okay, so after I change back I’ll call you. Scout’s honor.”

Dean grinned and pulled away from the curb.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Azazel got real close to Sam and nodded, “That’s right Sammy boy. You have demon blood inside you. Your mother made a deal with me to save her boyfriend and in exchange I was allowed to come to her second born and drip some blood in their mouth. However, when the time came, your mother couldn’t go through with it and tried to stop me.”

It took a long time for Sam to piece together everything he understood which obviously wasn’t a lot but he seemed to get the jest of what the demon was saying. He swallowed.

“All in good time Sam. All in good time.”

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Harmone followed the scent of sulfur that she found around the area where Sam’s phone had been. When she found Sam he was on the floor of some house. Harmone could tell that demons had been there but weren’t there now. She walked over and nuzzled Sam with her nose. Sam opened his eyes and blinked.

“Harmone.”

Harmone nuzzled Sam again before leaving the room for a few minutes. She came back fully human and dressed. She pulled her cell out and dialed Dean.

“Hey, I found Sam. He doesn’t appear to be hurt just really shaken. And there were demons. I could smell them, but there not here now.”

_“Tell me where you are and I’ll meet you.”_

Harmone gave Dean the location and went to Sam and picked him up. **_You okay? You hurt?_**

Sam shook his head. **_Dean?_**

**_He’s on his way to come get us._ **

Sam chewed his lip. He really needed to talk to Dean. If what the demon told him was true… he shook his head. Demons lie. He knew that, but what if it was telling the truth? Then that meant that the reason why dad was trying to kill him was because he was…Sam swallowed.

Harmone gently shook Sam’s shoulder until he looked at her, “Dean’s outside.”

Sam let Harmone lead him to the car. Dean pulled Sam in his arms and looked at him.

“Are you hurt?”

Sam shook his head. He had on the look that told Dean that they needed to talk. Dean nodded.

“Let’s get back to the motel first and then we talk okay?”

Sam nodded. The drive back to the motel was silent. Sam could tell that there was no music playing and Dean wasn’t singing which made him frown. Dean always had music on. Why wasn’t he playing any now?

When they reached the motel Sam sat on the bed and looked at Dean and swallowed audibly. Dean sat next to him and put his arm around his little brother.

“What’s wrong?”

**_I…I know why dad hates me and it’s more than my disability._ **

“What do you mean?”

**_The demon, the one who killed mom? He told me the truth. Told me that dad knows too and that’s why he’s trying to kill me._ **

“Sammy, what are you talking about?”

**_I have demon blood inside me._ **

Dean glanced at Harmone before looking back at Sam, “What?”

Sam sighed and launched into the whole story or as much of it as he had understood from the demon. When he finished Dean was in shock. He didn’t know what to say nor did Harmone. This was bigger than they thought.

“I don’t want to be evil,” Sam cried.

“Hey, this doesn’t mean you’re evil or that you’ll turn evil. Remember what I said? As long as I’m around nothing bad’s gonna happen to you. We’ll figure it out Sam. We’ll figure what it all means and we’ll deal with it like we always do.”

**_But Dean this isn’t something we’ve ever dealt with before. How do we handle this? Maybe we should just let Dad kill me. That way I don’t turn into…_ **

“Hey! Cut it out Sammy, I mean it. Everything will be fine I promise. We don’t know why the Yellow Eyed Demon gave you demon blood but it doesn’t matter because you could never be evil.”

Sam sighed and nodded before he headed into the bathroom. Dean looked at Harmone. Harmone just shrugged.

“This is…I don’t know Dean. What if he does turn?”

“He’s not going to turn evil! Come on Harmone, you know Sam. We’ll figure it out. Talk to Bobby and figure everything out.”

Harmone sighed. She hoped so. For everyone’s sake.

******TBC...**


	23. Chapter 23

By the time the trio made it back to Bobby’s it had started to snow. Dean shivered in his jacket, “Remind me why I like the winter.”

Harmone chuckled, “Isn’t your birthday coming up? Is that a viable reason to like the winter?”

Dean shook his head, “Hell no.”

**_I think things look prettier when it’s covered by the snow._ **

Dean chuckled, ruffling his brother’s hair as they went to get their things, “That’s because you’re a freak.”

Normally, Sam had no problems with Dean teasing him and calling him a freak, but after what the demon told him…

Dean saw Sam’s eyes fill with tears and he froze, “Hey Sammy,” Dean stopped and forced Sam to give him his full attention. “You’re not really a freak you know that right?”

Sam’s lower lip trembled and he tried not to cry in front of his big brother. He shook his head. He didn’t want to be a freak. Dean sighed and knelt down not noticing how Harmone had left the two alone.

“Sammy,” he said speaking slowly. “You’re not a freak. No matter what anyone says.”

“But, the…” Sam started then swallowed.

Dean shook his head, “You think that makes you a freak? Please, Sam. Just because we found out that some demon gave you demon blood doesn’t mean you’ve changed. You’re still my little geeky, brother who I’ll protect forever.”

Sam blinked back his tears and hugged his brother and whispered, “I love you.”

Dean smiled and signed back. **_I love you too._**

The two brothers went inside and Dean immediately went to the fireplace and rubbed his hands in front of it. Bobby chuckled.

“You really that cold, boy?”

Dean flushed a little and moved back. Sam chuckled and headed upstairs to his bedroom. Bobby watched him go and then turned back to Dean.

“Harmone said you guys found something out about Sam.”

Dean sighed a little, “Yeah. Apparently the demon that killed mom was after Sam. We don’t know why. What Sam told us was that the demon told him that when he was baby, the night mom died, he bled in his mouth.”

Bobby looked shocked, “That boy got demon blood in him? Hold on a sec, the demon had Sam and let him go? Why?”

Dean shrugged as he sat on the couch, “I don’t know. None of this makes sense, but it doesn’t matter. He’s still the same Sam. And we’ll fight this just like we’ve done everything else in the past. Together.”

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam was pacing the bedroom. Dean’s birthday was coming up in a few short weeks and although they never really did birthdays before, he really wanted to get his brother something. He even knew what he wanted to get him. Something really cool that would make up for that cheesy necklace that he had given him for Christmas two years ago. The only problem was he was going to need help getting it. He sighed and headed downstairs.  Dean was out back working on a car for Bobby. Harmone was sitting in the living room reading. She looked up when Sam approached.

**_I need your help._ **

Harmone put down her book and frowned, “With what?”

Sam looked around; making sure Dean wasn’t near them. **_There’s this gift I want to get for Dean, you know because his birthday is in a few weeks and I don’t want to chance that it is gone, but I need help._**

Harmone nodded, “Sure. Hey Dad? Sam and I are going out for a little bit be back soon!”

Bobby came in the living room grumbling, “I’m not deaf Harmone.”

Harmone chuckled, “You sure about that? I mean you are kinda old.”

“Who you calling old? You two better get outta here before I really show you who’s old.”

Harmone laughed and took Sam’s arm as she headed outside. She tapped Dean on the ankle and he slid out from under the car.

“What’s up?”

“Mind if we borrow the car? Sam and I are going into town to run a few errands.”

Dean sat up and handed her the keys, “There better not be one scratch on my baby or…”

“You’ll skin me alive. I get the idea. Come on Sam.”

The drive into town was kinda quiet. Sam didn’t talk and Harmone didn’t make him talk. Sam was preoccupied with the knife that he was going to get his brother and imagining the look on his face when he got it. Harmone tapped Sam on the shoulder and he turned to look at her.

“Exactly where are we going Sam?”

Sam wasn’t exactly sure where the knife store was. He swallowed, “Knife store,” he said softly.

Harmone nodded and drove. Once inside the store Sam’s eyes bugged out. He never realized how many types of knives there were. How was he going to find the right one for Dean? Harmone chuckled and ruffled his hair.

“Need any help?” the man behind the counter asked.

“No thanks. We’re just looking right now,” Harmone spoke as she led Sam to the front.

He looked in one of the cases and he spotted it. The perfect knife for Dean. He looked at Harmone and pointed. She nodded and asked the clerk if they could see the knife.

“This here’s a beauty. It’s one of the best survival knives around. 9 1/2" overall. 4 1/2" partially serrated black TiNi coated AUS-8 stainless blade with spine rasp for notching, filing, and thumb placement. Injection molded glass reinforced handle with finger grooves and scored with grip lines. Black Kydex® sheath,” he told them like they understood what he was saying.

Sam held the knife in his hands and inspected it, turning it over in his hands before grinning. He looked at Harmone. She grinned.

“That’s the one you want?”

Sam nodded. The clerk frowned, “He’s getting the knife? I think he might be a tad young.”

Sam pouted but Harmone shook her head, smile still on her face, “It’s for his big brother. It’s a birthday gift.”

The clerk nodded taking the knife back and ringing it up and boxing it for them, “Eighty-four even.”

Sam swallowed as he took his wallet out and counted the change before handing the clerk four twenties. He took the bag and walked out. He really hoped that Dean would like this gift.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

The day of Dean’s sixteenth birthday Sam was up early. He woke up Dean by lying on top of him and blowing in his ear.

“Sam!” Dean grumbled. Sam laughed.

**_Morning birthday boy. Bobby made breakfast._ **

“Dude I’m trying to sleep.”

Sam shook his head. **_Dean. Bacon. And coffee._**

Dean grumbled but he got up, “Fine. You owe me. What happened to letting the birthday boy sleep in huh? Just you wait when it’s your birthday I’m going to wake you up at the crack of dawn.”

Sam shook his head and led the way to the kitchen. Not that he really needed too. Once Dean smelled the bacon he seemed to rise up and drift all on his own. Bobby and Harmone laughed.

“If there’s anything that can wake Dean Winchester it’s the smell of bacon,” Bobby laughed.

Dean just grumbled as he was given a plate of pancakes and bacon and a steaming mug of coffee. He glanced at his brother who was a tad jumpy.

“Sam,” he called, waving his hand in his brother’s face to get his attention. “What’s wrong?”

Sam shook his head. **_I’m fine just excited. So what do you wanna do today?_**

Dean cocked his head, “I’m perfectly content to staying in and doing nothing.”

Sam frowned. **_Dean, I mean come on; I know we haven’t really celebrated birthdays before. Dad…_** he stopped and shook his head. **_But I think we should do something. It’s your sixteenth birthday._**

Dean was now sure more than ever that something was going on and he had a feeling he knew what it was. He gave a smirk, “Why Sammy, did you get me a present?”

Sam blushed and nodded. Dean laughed, “That’s why you’re so excited huh?”

Bobby smiled, “How about I go into town and rent a movie? We’ll have cake and ice cream and presents.”

Dean shrugged, “Sounds good to me.”

So that’s what they did. Bobby went into town and rented Pulp Fiction knowing it was Dean’s favorite movie. Harmone baked a cake and they had cake and ice cream as they watched the movie. Once the movie was over Sam was handing him a box as he bounced on his toes. Dean eyed his little brother and opened the box.

“Sam. Wow.”

Sam blinked as he studied his brother’s expression, “You like?”

Dean nodded, “Dude! This knife is awesome,” he picked it up and pulled it out of its sheath.

**_I wanted to get it engraved but I didn’t know where to go and I thought you’d think it would be cheesy._ **

Dean pulled his brother into a bear hug, “Thanks Sammy. This is the best.”

Harmone gave him an IPod full of his favorite music and Bobby gave him a journal. “So you can start your own hunter’s journal,” he said.

Dean was, for the first time in his life, really happy.

**TBC...**


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it folks, the last chapter of this wonderful (in my opinion) story. Feel free to tell me all what you thought. The good. The bad. The ugly. I really hope you all enjoyed reading this story.

Months went by and still no word was heard from John or the demon. Dean wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing all he cared about was that they stayed away from Sam. Dean sat on the couch trying to relax now that they didn’t have a hunt. It felt good to come to Bobby’s and chill when they weren’t hunting. It felt like home. But it wasn’t really. It was just a placed they crashed every now and then.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Harmone asked, flopping on the couch next to him, laying her legs on his lap.

Dean shrugged, “Just thinking.”

“About?”

Dean sighed, “I don’t know. Everything. Nothing.”

Harmone frowned. She never saw Dean like this. She gently squeezed his shoulder as she swung her legs off him, “Hey, I know. Trust me I do.”

Dean shook his head, “No, Harmone, you don’t. You and Bobby, and everyone else, you all think you know and understand but you don’t. There’s no way you can.”

Harmone blinked and stroked his arm, “Talk to me Dean. I’ve always been told I’m a great listener.”

Dean sighed, “All my life I’ve looked up to John. Not just as my father but as a man I respected. He taught me everything I know. But when I found out how he felt about Sam once he found out that he was deaf…I don’t know I guess all that shifted and I guess I was too young to really understand. He used to look at Sam with disgust all the time and then when mom died…it was worse. I hated it. The way he treated Sam like he was trash. But still, I tried my best to do as he asked. I think after the werewolf incident was when I really saw him for what he was.”

Harmone licked her lips, “Which was?”

“He manipulated us. A lot. Lied to us. So I took care of Sam as best I could. I swear I think if I hadn’t grabbed Sam he would’ve left him in the nursery to die. It’s not fair. Sam is the sweetest kid ever. Won’t hurt a fly. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like that.”

Harmone shook her head, “No he doesn’t. And you do a good job of taking care of him.”

“Do I? If I had protected him none of this would’ve happened. He would’ve never found out that he had demon blood inside him. Dad wouldn’t be gunning to kill him…”

“Dean, you can’t blame yourself. You can’t protect Sam from everything. But all of this? It’s not your fault. You’re doing the best you can which is saying a lot for any sixteen year old raising his twelve year old brother.”

Dean looked at her and gave her a watery smile. He hated crying, especially in front of pretty girls. It didn’t matter that Harmone was like a sister to him, he didn’t want to cry in front of her. Harmone pulled the younger teen into her arms and kissed his forehead.

“It’s okay Dean. It’ll all be okay.”

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

It wasn’t until the day after Sam’s twelfth birthday that they heard from John. Actually, it was Drew calling about John.

_“Dean?”_

“Hey Drew, what’s up?” he asked as he drove to pick up Sam and Harmone from school.

It had taken them a long time to convince Sam to go back to school. It was an ongoing argument between Dean, Harmone and Sam. Bobby wisely stayed out. Sam felt that since Dean dropped out he should too and both Harmone and Dean disagreed. After much arguing, Sam and Harmone both got reenrolled in school.

_“You got a minute?”_

Dean sighed, “Yeah, what’s up?”

_“It’s John. He’s dead. We, uh, were supposed to be working this hunt together but he went ahead without me. Probably because we got into some argument. When I caught up with him though, he…”_

“What kind of hunt?”

_“Demon. But, uh, there was this letter on him addressed to Sam.”_

Dean watched as the students all filed out of the school building, “What’s it say?”

_“I haven’t opened it. I figured you’d want to come get it or something.”_

Dean rubbed a hand over his face as he unlocked the door for Sam and Harmone, “Where are you?”

_“Just outside Omaha.”_

“I’ll be there tonight,” he said, hanging up the phone.

“What’s going on?” Harmone asked, buckling her seatbelt.

Dean glanced at Sam in the rearview mirror so his brother would be able to read his lips, “John’s dead. Some sort of demon hunt.”

“The demon?” Sam asked softly.

Dean shrugged, “We don’t know that for sure Sammy.”

Sam sighed and glanced out the window as Dean drove back to Bobby’s.

That evening, Dean drove to meet Drew and retrieve the letter, “I think he expected me to find it and give it to Sam.”

“Drew, what happened? John’s the best hunter I know. How on earth did he get caught off guard by a demon?”

Drew shrugged, “My best guess? He probably found out that it was the demon who killed your mother and you know how that makes him. He became blindsided. Anyway, I’m about to give him a hunter’s burial. You wanna be there for it?”

“I gotta get back to Sam. He should read this.”

Drew nodded, “Right. Well, see ya Dean.”

Dean, clutching the letter in his hand turned and headed back to the car.

**~~~ADTH~~~~**

Sam, Harmone, and Bobby, of course were up waiting for him to return. Dean handed the letter to Sam who opened it and read it out loud.

_Dear Sammy,_

_I know you probably don’t want to hear from your old man again and I understand that. I wish I could take back everything I did and said to you, but I can’t. And I am so sorry son. I never gave you a chance. When the doctor told us that you were deaf all I could picture was that I wouldn’t be able to teach you anything and how you’d make a mess of everything. Then your mother died and…I lost it. I know it was wrong for me to blame you, but when I found out why she died? It just angered me. You know the truth, right? How the demon bled in your mouth and she tried to stop it. I don’t know the whole story, but I know that the demon is creating some kind of demon army. You’re not the only one who the demon…tainted. I wish I knew why but I don’t. But, you’ll be fine as long as Dean’s with you and I know you’re a good hunter son. Dean told me that by the time I realized how good a kid, how good a hunter you are, it would be too late. And he was right. If you have this letter in your possession that means the demon got to me and that Drew or Jim found this and gave it to Dean. I wish I could say more but I don’t have the time nor do I know what to say. I love you son._

Sam blinked with tears in his eyes looking up at his big brother. Dean frowned.

“Son of a bitch. He knew.”

“Knew what?”

“That the demon was behind his hunt and he went there to get himself killed. He knew the demon was after him this entire time and he didn’t tell us. Wouldn’t tell us.”

“He was just trying to keep you safe,” Bobby scratched his beard.

“Don’t you try and defend him now Bobby. You know as well as I do Dad didn’t give a damn about us being safe. He cared about what was necessary for the mission.”

“Dean.”

Dean looked up at his brother and put his arm around him, “It’s going to be okay Sammy. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but it’s all going to be okay. No matter what it’s you and me against the world little brother.”

**END.**

**Author's Note:**

> Also to let you know anything that's bold and italicized its them signing


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